freebeacon--2020-05-09--Georgia County Maintains Gun Shutdown Despite Statewide Reopening

Despite a statewide reopening , residents in one Georgia county are still unable to legally obtain firearms after a federal judge allowed local authorities to shut down the gun-permitting process , sparking a legal showdown .
District Court judge Steve Jones ruled that the plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge the state 's permit law or the county 's implementation of it during the coronavirus pandemic .
Gun-rights activists have vowed to appeal the decision .
The case has gained renewed energy as the county has refused to reopen the vetting office even as Republican governor Brian Kemp has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process is still closed , '' Alan Gottlieb , head of the Second Amendment Foundation , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` We are filing an immediate appeal . ''
The court ruled that a local resident did not have standing to challenge county probate judge Keith Wood 's decision to close down the permitting process .
Jones added that concerns about social distancing outweighed the plaintiffs ' claims that the policy violated the Second Amendment , noting that `` the state and county have a considerable public health interest in curtailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a deadly virus . ''
Second Amendment activists argue that all individuals have standing when government authorities infringe on their constitutional rights .
Because Georgia requires a gun-carry permit to purchase firearms , Cherokee County has violated the rights of its residents , according to the Firearms Policy Coalition , another plaintiff in the case .
`` The Constitution explicitly protects the fundamental human right to bear arms , especially for self-defense .
Governments can not eliminate the right of law-abiding adults to carry handguns for self-defense in public , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times , '' FPC president Brandon Combs said in a statement .
Federal courts have split on the constitutionality of shutdowns that target gun stores or the firearm-permitting process .
A federal judge overturned a Massachusetts executive order that closed gun stores and ordered the state to reopen them by Saturday .
Two other federal judges upheld gun-store shutdowns in parts of California in early April .
The outcome of those cases could answer how far emergency powers can curtail constitutionally protected rights—especially if the Supreme Court is forced to weigh in .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal process has time to play out , however , as states like Georgia begin phased reopenings .
A spokesman for Gov .
Kemp , a defendant in the Cherokee County suit , said he could n't comment on an ongoing case but directed questions about the permitting process to the state 's supreme court .
Jane O. Hansen , a public information officer for the Supreme Court of Georgia , told the Free Beacon that courts in the state would continue to operate only on a limited basis until at least June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced he will be signing an order that will extend the Statewide Judicial Emergency he first announced March 14 until June 12 , '' Hansen said in an email .
`` Under that order , the courts will be asked to bring back as many court services as they possibly can—regardless of whether or not something was once deemed essential or non-essential—either through videoconferencing or by strictly adhering to public health guidelines .
The ability of courts to do that , of course , will be based on individual courts ' capacities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on their budget , staff , physical building , etc . ''
Gottlieb said his organization will pursue the suit , regardless of whether the permitting office returns , in order to set a precedent that bars local governments from pursuing similar shutdowns in the future .
`` We want a court verdict on it , '' he said .
`` It 'll bounce around for a while , but eventually we 're going to win . ''
Neither Cherokee County nor Wood responded to requests for comment .

Despite a statewide reopening, residents in one Georgia county are still unable to legally obtain firearms-carry licenses after a federal judge allowed local authorities to shut down the permitting process, sparking a legal showdown.
District Court judge Steve Jones ruled that the plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge the state's permit law or the county's implementation of it during the coronavirus pandemic. Gun-rights activists have vowed to appeal the decision. The case has gained renewed energy as the county has refused to reopen the vetting office even as Republican governor Brian Kemp has lifted pandemic restrictions.
"The permitting process is still closed," Alan Gottlieb, head of the Second Amendment Foundation, told the Washington Free Beacon. "We are filing an immediate appeal."
The court ruled that a local resident did not have standing to challenge county probate judge Keith Wood's decision to close down the permitting process. Jones added that concerns about social distancing outweighed the plaintiffs' claims that the policy violated the Second Amendment, noting that "the state and county have a considerable public health interest in curtailing normal activities to stop the exponential spread of a deadly virus."
Second Amendment activists argue that all individuals have standing when government authorities infringe on their constitutional rights. Because Georgia requires a gun-carry permit to carry firearms, Cherokee County has violated the rights of its residents, according to the Firearms Policy Coalition, another plaintiff in the case.
"The Constitution explicitly protects the fundamental human right to bear arms, especially for self-defense. Governments cannot eliminate the right of law-abiding adults to carry handguns for self-defense in public, which is all the more pertinent in these troubled times," FPC president Brandon Combs said in a statement.
Federal courts have split on the constitutionality of shutdowns that target gun stores or the firearm-permitting process. A federal judge overturned a Massachusetts executive order that closed gun stores and ordered the state to reopen them by Saturday. Two other federal judges upheld gun-store shutdowns in parts of California in early April. The outcome of those cases could answer how far emergency powers can curtail constitutionally protected rights—especially if the Supreme Court is forced to weigh in.
The issue could resolve itself before the legal process has time to play out, however, as states like Georgia begin phased reopenings. A spokesman for Gov. Kemp, a defendant in the Cherokee County suit, said he couldn't comment on an ongoing case but directed questions about the permitting process to the state's supreme court.
Jane O. Hansen, a public information officer for the Supreme Court of Georgia, told the Free Beacon that courts in the state would continue to operate only on a limited basis until at least June 12.
"The Chief Justice just announced he will be signing an order that will extend the Statewide Judicial Emergency he first announced March 14 until June 12," Hansen said in an email. "Under that order, the courts will be asked to bring back as many court services as they possibly can—regardless of whether or not something was once deemed essential or non-essential—either through videoconferencing or by strictly adhering to public health guidelines. The ability of courts to do that, of course, will be based on individual courts' capacities. And that will vary around the state, based on their budget, staff, physical building, etc."
Gottlieb said his organization will pursue the suit, regardless of whether the permitting office returns, in order to set a precedent that bars local governments from pursuing similar shutdowns in the future.
"We want a court verdict on it," he said. "It'll bounce around for a while, but eventually we're going to win."
Neither Cherokee County nor Wood responded to requests for comment.


freebeacon--2020-05-10--REVIEW: ‘Natural: How Faith in Nature’s Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads, Unjust Laws, and Flawed Scie

REVIEW: ‘Natural: How Faith in Nature’s Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads, Unjust Laws, and Flawed Science’

What do people mean when they talk about stuff being full of `` chemicals '' ?
Is n't all matter made of chemicals from one part of the periodic table or another ?
What do they mean by `` unnatural '' chemicals ?
Synthetic goos of various sorts ?
Things can get messy when the question of what 's `` natural '' comes up .
Just because something is `` natural '' does n't mean it 's good .
It also does n't mean it 's bad .
It means so many things to so many different people that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extreme care , if not meaningless .
It 's a word that has become—as Kingsley Amis liked to declare terms muddied through thoughtless overuse—junked .
Alan Levinovitz is just the person to unjunk it , in his new book Natural : How Faith in Nature 's Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads , Unjust Laws , and Flawed Science .
The book offers a nuanced view of what `` natural '' means in different contexts and shows what 's so troublesome about the ideas of natural birth , natural ability in sports , human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One chapter on natural foods explains the history of vanilla , which it turns out is an almost completely unnatural product of artificially inseminating orchids .
Fake ( unnatural ) vanillin tastes just as good , and is a petrochemical .
Environmentalists might reflexively assume the much more expensive and rare real stuff from orchids is better , until they learn it 's produced by cutting down the rainforests of Madagascar .
Levinovitz uses this example to explain that while the `` whole foods '' and Whole Foods enthusiasts of the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great-grandparents would n't recognize , food science has on the whole made what we eat objectively more tasty , less toxic , and less slave-labor intensive .
Bucolic farms are still nice , but screw your commandments , Michael Pollan .
You wo n't come away with the idea that the `` natural '' label can just be thrown out—though , if you see the word `` natural '' on a literal label you 're probably being scammed .
One particularly funny illustration from the book : `` A typical ‘ raw water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , touts its ‘ sacred living water ' as ‘ verified naturally pure by science ' and ‘ filtered by mother nature to a degree that no man-made machine is capable of replicating . '
'' This water costs five bucks , which is five bucks more than a barrel of oil right now .
But it is `` ‘ flawless , gem-grade water ' that ‘ is bubbling up of its own accord through gemstone-lined vaults in one of the most ancient mountain ranges of North America . '
'' One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afford not to buy it !
Levinovitz has a keen eye for details like this and a low tolerance for bulls—t , freerange or otherwise .
His last book , The Gluten Lie , was a sharp examination of how fad diets and irrational nonsense in how we think about food made eating a source of unnecessary anxiety .
He 's a liberal religion professor who ca n't help but notice and argue with nonsense when he finds it , so you might say his niche is `` sympathetic hippie-punching . ''
Levinovitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carries with it a theological valence that smuggles in the idea of goodness .
What is natural is willed by God , even for people who do n't seem to care about God 's will .
In a secular age , people will still overpay for `` natural '' candles with scents called `` Church '' ( from Gwyneth Paltrow ’ s `` natural '' product megabrand , Goop ) .
When we say something is natural , we are not just saying it is , we are saying it ought to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to tacitly justify all kinds of stuff that would n't otherwise pass rational scrutiny—like five dollar water .
But there 's a third overlapping sense of `` natural '' Levinovitz misses .
If the first sense is like the science journal , Nature , a word for the stuff that exists , and the second sense is like `` human nature '' in meaning `` essence '' or `` true self '' or telos , the third means something like `` inevitable '' and comes more with a shrug than a commandment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural . ''
Missing this is why Levinovitz 's only chapter that falls flat is the one on economics , where he talks about Adam Smith ’ s invisible hand .
According to Natural , the `` laissez faire '' intellectual descendants of Smith justify their economic policies as being more natural because they resemble the Darwinian evolutionary theory of natural selection .
Levinovitz says this is a selective use of a metaphor that does n't legitimately apply .
But it applies perfectly well if you stop projecting the moral onto it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wiener introduces his argument that all technology is a simulacrum of nature by claiming that Adam Smith and Charles Darwin had the same idea .
The idea of relating capitalist economics ( with its emphasis on creative destruction ) to Darwinian natural selection ( with its emphasis on survival of the fittest ) is n't that it is morally good and endorsed as good by God , but that each system is efficacious at preserving certain traits in a population .
Evolution is deeply concerned with chaotic interrelated systems with a single self-organizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) acting as a mechanism for increasing the efficiency of the system as a whole .
Levinovitz 's chapter goes on with some discussion of George Berkeley , Edmund Burke , and William F. Buckley , ascribing a crypto-naturalist belief in their political convictions because of a metaphor that makes complex moral and theological claims seem like scientific claims about the material world .
( Berkeley , for his part , is innocent as charged—the philosopher famously didn ’ t even believe in such a thing as material reality . )
Social Darwinism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ naturalistic way of justifying itself .
It says that the way power is distributed must be the way power ought to be distributed .
But in his chapter on it , Levinovitz devolves into some mild political hackery , for example , in giving the Progressive movement a pass .
There ’ s no reason that in tracing the negative consequences of social Darwinism , one should include Buckley and Mao , but not President Woodrow Wilson or Margaret Sanger .
Still , that chapter ’ s flaws are a minor exception in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fascinating storytelling about science and morality and the ways we don ’ t always realize they interact .
It also contains one of the best treatments of the bioethics issues in sports I have ever encountered , taking on the fairness questions raised by doping and transgenderism .
In Natural , Levinovitz looks at `` natural '' in lots of bizarre and interesting contexts with extreme care that 's fun , not precious .
That makes this book a win for clarity and honesty—equally recommended for the college library , the summer beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @

What do people mean when they talk about stuff being full of "chemicals"? Isn't all matter made of chemicals from one part of the periodic table or another? What do they mean by "unnatural" chemicals? Synthetic goos of various sorts?
Things can get messy when the question of what's "natural" comes up. Just because something is "natural" doesn't mean it's good. It also doesn't mean it's bad. It means so many things to so many different people that it's only useful if looked at with extreme care, if not meaningless. It's a word that has become—as Kingsley Amis liked to declare terms muddied through thoughtless overuse—junked.
Alan Levinovitz is just the person to unjunk it, in his new book Natural: How Faith in Nature's Goodness Leads to Harmful Fads, Unjust Laws, and Flawed Science. The book offers a nuanced view of what "natural" means in different contexts and shows what's so troublesome about the ideas of natural birth, natural ability in sports, human nature, natural law, and more.
One chapter on natural foods explains the history of vanilla, which it turns out is an almost completely unnatural product of artificially inseminating orchids. Fake (unnatural) vanillin tastes just as good, and is a petrochemical. Environmentalists might reflexively assume the much more expensive and rare real stuff from orchids is better, until they learn it's produced by cutting down the rainforests of Madagascar. Levinovitz uses this example to explain that while the "whole foods" and Whole Foods enthusiasts of the world say you should not eat anything your great-grandparents wouldn't recognize, food science has on the whole made what we eat objectively more tasty, less toxic, and less slave-labor intensive. Bucolic farms are still nice, but screw your commandments, Michael Pollan.
You won't come away with the idea that the "natural" label can just be thrown out—though, if you see the word "natural" on a literal label you're probably being scammed. One particularly funny illustration from the book: "A typical 'raw water' company, Tourmaline Spring of Maine, touts its 'sacred living water' as 'verified naturally pure by science' and 'filtered by mother nature to a degree that no man-made machine is capable of replicating.'" This water costs five bucks, which is five bucks more than a barrel of oil right now. But it is "'flawless, gem-grade water' that 'is bubbling up of its own accord through gemstone-lined vaults in one of the most ancient mountain ranges of North America.'" One of the most ancient? You can't afford not to buy it!
Levinovitz has a keen eye for details like this and a low tolerance for bulls—t, freerange or otherwise. His last book, The Gluten Lie, was a sharp examination of how fad diets and irrational nonsense in how we think about food made eating a source of unnecessary anxiety. He's a liberal religion professor who can't help but notice and argue with nonsense when he finds it, so you might say his niche is "sympathetic hippie-punching."
Levinovitz's thesis is that "natural" carries with it a theological valence that smuggles in the idea of goodness. What is natural is willed by God, even for people who don't seem to care about God's will. In a secular age, people will still overpay for "natural" candles with scents called "Church" (from Gwyneth Paltrow’s "natural" product megabrand, Goop). When we say something is natural, we are not just saying it is, we are saying it ought to be how it is. That can be used to tacitly justify all kinds of stuff that wouldn't otherwise pass rational scrutiny—like five dollar water.
But there's a third overlapping sense of "natural" Levinovitz misses. If the first sense is like the science journal, Nature, a word for the stuff that exists, and the second sense is like "human nature" in meaning "essence" or "true self" or telos, the third means something like "inevitable" and comes more with a shrug than a commandment. Think, "It's only natural." Missing this is why Levinovitz's only chapter that falls flat is the one on economics, where he talks about Adam Smith’s invisible hand. According to Natural, the "laissez faire" intellectual descendants of Smith justify their economic policies as being more natural because they resemble the Darwinian evolutionary theory of natural selection. Levinovitz says this is a selective use of a metaphor that doesn't legitimately apply. But it applies perfectly well if you stop projecting the moral onto it.
In Cybernetics, the socialist polymath Norbert Wiener introduces his argument that all technology is a simulacrum of nature by claiming that Adam Smith and Charles Darwin had the same idea. The idea of relating capitalist economics (with its emphasis on creative destruction) to Darwinian natural selection (with its emphasis on survival of the fittest) isn't that it is morally good and endorsed as good by God, but that each system is efficacious at preserving certain traits in a population. Evolution is deeply concerned with chaotic interrelated systems with a single self-organizing principle (greed, reproduction, whatever) acting as a mechanism for increasing the efficiency of the system as a whole.
Levinovitz's chapter goes on with some discussion of George Berkeley, Edmund Burke, and William F. Buckley, ascribing a crypto-naturalist belief in their political convictions because of a metaphor that makes complex moral and theological claims seem like scientific claims about the material world. (Berkeley, for his part, is innocent as charged—the philosopher famously didn’t even believe in such a thing as material reality.) Social Darwinism in all its forms definitely employs a naturalistic way of justifying itself. It says that the way power is distributed must be the way power ought to be distributed. But in his chapter on it, Levinovitz devolves into some mild political hackery, for example, in giving the Progressive movement a pass. There’s no reason that in tracing the negative consequences of social Darwinism, one should include Buckley and Mao, but not President Woodrow Wilson or Margaret Sanger.
Still, that chapter’s flaws are a minor exception in a book typified by strong arguments and fascinating storytelling about science and morality and the ways we don’t always realize they interact. It also contains one of the best treatments of the bioethics issues in sports I have ever encountered, taking on the fairness questions raised by doping and transgenderism. In Natural, Levinovitz looks at "natural" in lots of bizarre and interesting contexts with extreme care that's fun, not precious. That makes this book a win for clarity and honesty—equally recommended for the college library, the summer beach retreat, or the interminable quarantine.


freebeacon--2020-05-10--1619 Project Creator Says Her Series Is ‘Journalism’ and ‘Not a History’

The creator of the controversial 1619 Project , a New York Times Magazine commentary series on the impact of slavery in America , is now saying her work was meant to be `` journalism '' and `` not a history . ''
`` The 1619 Project is not a history , '' Nikole Hannah-Jones said in an MSNBC interview on Sunday .
`` It is a work of journalism that examines the modern and ongoing legacy of slavery . ''
Hannah-Jones won a Pulitzer Prize for the 1619 Project last week , but the initiative has been frequently criticized for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , five distinguished American historians wrote a letter to the magazine editor , saying that they were `` dismayed at some of the factual errors in the project and the closed process behind it . ''
In February , a group of predominantly African-American scholars , community leaders , and journalists launched the 1776 initiative , a series of essays and educational resources that `` counter the false history that the 1619 Project espouses and has disseminated as a school curriculum . ''
A report in March revealed that the Times consulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued against '' Hannah-Jones including one of her most controversial claims—that the American Revolution was fought to preserve slavery—before the launch of the 1619 Project in August 2019 .
A few days after the report , the Times printed an editor 's note and Hannah-Jones tweeted that a correction had been made .
`` Yesterday we made an important clarification to my # 1619Project essay abt [ sic ] the colonists ' motivations during the American Revolution , '' she said .
The article would now read that slavery was the primary motivation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of '' the colonists .
`` As written , it appears that I am saying this was a universal motivation of ALL colonists .
I was n't clear enough , '' Hannah-Jones said .
The 1619 Project has been sent as curricula to thousands of classrooms with the help of the Pulitzer Center .
After Hannah-Jones 's win was announced , the Pulitzer Center congratulated Hannah-Jones `` on her historic win '' and said it `` looks forward to continuing to collaborate with her and the team at The New York Times Magazine @ @ @ @ @ @

The creator of the controversial 1619 Project, a New York Times Magazine commentary series on the impact of slavery in America, is now saying her work was meant to be "journalism" and "not a history."
"The 1619 Project is not a history," Nikole Hannah-Jones said in an MSNBC interview on Sunday. "It is a work of journalism that examines the modern and ongoing legacy of slavery."
Hannah-Jones won a Pulitzer Prize for the 1619 Project last week, but the initiative has been frequently criticized for its inaccuracies by historians.
In December 2019, five distinguished American historians wrote a letter to the magazine editor, saying that they were "dismayed at some of the factual errors in the project and the closed process behind it."
In February, a group of predominantly African-American scholars, community leaders, and journalists launched the 1776 initiative, a series of essays and educational resources that "counter the false history that the 1619 Project espouses and has disseminated as a school curriculum."
A report in March revealed that the Times consulted historian Leslie Harris, who "vigorously argued against" Hannah-Jones including one of her most controversial claims—that the American Revolution was fought to preserve slavery—before the launch of the 1619 Project in August 2019.
A few days after the report, the Times printed an editor's note and Hannah-Jones tweeted that a correction had been made.
"Yesterday we made an important clarification to my #1619Project essay abt [sic] the colonists' motivations during the American Revolution," she said. The article would now read that slavery was the primary motivation for the American Revolution for "some of" the colonists.
"As written, it appears that I am saying this was a universal motivation of ALL colonists. I wasn't clear enough," Hannah-Jones said.
https://twitter.com/nhannahjones/status/1238123930306727937
The 1619 Project has been sent as curricula to thousands of classrooms with the help of the Pulitzer Center.
After Hannah-Jones's win was announced, the Pulitzer Center congratulated Hannah-Jones "on her historic win" and said it "looks forward to continuing to collaborate with her and the team at The New York Times Magazine on this important work."


freebeacon--2020-05-11--As Lobbyist for Huawei, Las Vegas Radio Station May Have Broken Law

A local Las Vegas radio station may have broken federal communications laws when it failed to disclose its partnership with Chinese telecom giant Huawei , according to a former official of the Federal Communications Commission .
Las Vegas Public Radio , the self-professed `` people 's voice of Las Vegas , '' registered to lobby for Huawei in May 2019 , promising to `` address concerns that Members of Congress , Executive branch and American businesses have about Huawei products/services being developed or manufactured in the US for US consumption '' in its lobbying disclosure .
In turn , Huawei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a branch in China .
All radio stations are legally required to retain a so-called political file that contains information about all political advertisers who buy air time to discuss `` national legislative issues of public importance , '' according to a 2019 FCC ruling .
The law requires broadcasters to present the file at the request of the public .
When the Free Beacon requested all of the station 's political files regarding its partnership with Huawei , the station acknowledged that it does not have any political files related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LaPorta , the president of LVPR , said in an email that the station does not retain any political files related to Huawei because the station does not have `` any issue advertisers whose commercials communicate a message relating to any political matter of national importance . ''
`` If the station is being requested to take a particular stance in covering China and/or Huawei , and if they are being compensated directly or in kind , the issue advertiser should be listed in the political file , '' said Harold Furtchgott-Roth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Furchtgott-Roth said that , given the national controversy surrounding the Chinese tech giant , stations that receive monetary or in-kind contributions to air pro-Huawei programming should log that partnership in their political files .
Political files contain detailed information about the advertisement , such as broadcast length , date and time of the broadcast , and compensation for the station .
`` The station has been saying good things about Huawei … and they 're getting payments in-kind from Huawei , '' he said , referring to the Free Beacon ‘ s prior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commission has very clear rules of asking disclosure of that .
And if they 're not disclosing that , that could be a violation of commission rules . ''
National security officials have repeatedly warned against allowing Huawei to build 5G infrastructure in the United States and its allies , arguing that the Chinese government can use Huawei-built networks to spy on the West .
The company has mounted a massive influence campaign designed to downplay such concerns , hiring former cybersecurity officials as lobbyists and spending millions on public relations .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local community radio station in Las Vegas to promote its agenda speaks to the scale of its influence operations .
LaPorta , the LVPR president , previously claimed he has never done any work for Huawei , arguing that he registered as a Huawei lobbyist as a precautionary measure .
While LaPorta claims he has never worked for Huawei , LVPR has broadcast messages boosting Huawei at least once in the past .
The station 's sparsely active Twitter account announced , for example , that the station was `` bringing Huawei to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US Market for Huawei '' on Dec. 31 , 2018 .
LaPorta previously refused to explain what his station publicly broadcasted that day other than that he was `` taking care of friends in high places . ''
LaPorta also denied receiving either monetary or in-kind compensation for work with Huawei .
Federal lobbying disclosures note that `` Huawei will assist Mr. LaPorta/LVPR '' to make American broadcasting available in China .
LVPR is currently seeking to start a radio station in China as well , consulting with Chinese Ministry of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent public broadcasting facility '' in the country .
LaPorta denied that Huawei 's pledge to help his station expand overseas counts as in-kind compensation .
Furchtgott-Roth said that it is unclear whether such a pledge constitutes an in-kind compensation but said such activities warrant an investigation .
`` It 's certainly something that I suspect someone at the FCC is going to look into , '' he said .
The FCC declined to a request for comment about whether it is investigating LVPR .

A local Las Vegas radio station may have broken federal communications laws when it failed to disclose its partnership with Chinese telecom giant Huawei, according to a former official of the Federal Communications Commission.
Las Vegas Public Radio, the self-professed "people's voice of Las Vegas," registered to lobby for Huawei in May 2019, promising to "address concerns that Members of Congress, Executive branch and American businesses have about Huawei products/services being developed or manufactured in the US for US consumption" in its lobbying disclosure. In turn, Huawei promised to help the radio station open up a branch in China.
All radio stations are legally required to retain a so-called political file that contains information about all political advertisers who buy air time to discuss "national legislative issues of public importance," according to a 2019 FCC ruling. The law requires broadcasters to present the file at the request of the public. When the Free Beacon requested all of the station's political files regarding its partnership with Huawei, the station acknowledged that it does not have any political files related to Huawei or other Chinese entities.
Gregory LaPorta, the president of LVPR, said in an email that the station does not retain any political files related to Huawei because the station does not have "any issue advertisers whose commercials communicate a message relating to any political matter of national importance."
"If the station is being requested to take a particular stance in covering China and/or Huawei, and if they are being compensated directly or in kind, the issue advertiser should be listed in the political file," said Harold Furtchgott-Roth, a former commissioner of the FCC.
Furchtgott-Roth said that, given the national controversy surrounding the Chinese tech giant, stations that receive monetary or in-kind contributions to air pro-Huawei programming should log that partnership in their political files. Political files contain detailed information about the advertisement, such as broadcast length, date and time of the broadcast, and compensation for the station.
"The station has been saying good things about Huawei … and they're getting payments in-kind from Huawei," he said, referring to the Free Beacon's prior reporting about the station. "The Commission has very clear rules of asking disclosure of that. And if they're not disclosing that, that could be a violation of commission rules."
National security officials have repeatedly warned against allowing Huawei to build 5G infrastructure in the United States and its allies, arguing that the Chinese government can use Huawei-built networks to spy on the West. The company has mounted a massive influence campaign designed to downplay such concerns, hiring former cybersecurity officials as lobbyists and spending millions on public relations. That Huawei was willing to work with a local community radio station in Las Vegas to promote its agenda speaks to the scale of its influence operations.
LaPorta, the LVPR president, previously claimed he has never done any work for Huawei, arguing that he registered as a Huawei lobbyist as a precautionary measure. While LaPorta claims he has never worked for Huawei, LVPR has broadcast messages boosting Huawei at least once in the past.
The station's sparsely active Twitter account announced, for example, that the station was "bringing Huawei to America on something that was never done in the US Market for Huawei" on Dec. 31, 2018. LaPorta previously refused to explain what his station publicly broadcasted that day other than that he was "taking care of friends in high places."
LaPorta also denied receiving either monetary or in-kind compensation for work with Huawei. Federal lobbying disclosures note that "Huawei will assist Mr. LaPorta/LVPR" to make American broadcasting available in China. LVPR is currently seeking to start a radio station in China as well, consulting with Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to establish an "independent public broadcasting facility" in the country.
LaPorta denied that Huawei's pledge to help his station expand overseas counts as in-kind compensation. Furchtgott-Roth said that it is unclear whether such a pledge constitutes an in-kind compensation but said such activities warrant an investigation.
"It's certainly something that I suspect someone at the FCC is going to look into," he said.
The FCC declined to a request for comment about whether it is investigating LVPR.


freebeacon--2020-05-12--De Blasio Under Fire for Selective Enforcement of Social-Distancing Guidelines

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio is under fire from liberal groups raising serious concerns about the selective enforcement of social-distancing regulations .
In the wake of a tweet in which de Blasio singled out Jewish New Yorkers , warning them to adhere to the regulations , two liberal groups on Monday called on the mayor to remove enforcement of the regulations from the purview of the New York Police Department .
Data compiled by the NYPD show that though de Blasio has chided Jews for their failure to follow the guidelines , there is no indication the Orthodox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a higher rate than other New Yorkers .
Black and Hispanic New Yorkers have received the vast majority of police summonses for violating social-distancing laws , which criminal justice reform advocates say is evidence that they are being selectively targeted by law enforcement .
`` Following Mayor de Blasio 's comments last month that raised legitimate fears of disparate enforcement toward New York 's Orthodox Jewish community , his administration and local officials across the state should have taken every precaution to ensure the enforcement of social distancing rules was carried out equally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and without resorting to the kind of over-criminalization that has unnecessarily subjected far too many people to the criminal justice system , '' said Khalil Cumberbatch , the chief strategist of New Yorkers United for Justice , which advocates for criminal justice reform .
De Blasio 's stumbling coronavirus response efforts have been a source of controversy .
The head of the NYPD called de Blasio an `` idiot '' for his comments about the Jewish community , which has been the target of increasing anti-Semitic violent attacks .
The mayor also faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close the city parks—just days after he was spotted traveling 12 miles to take a walk in his favorite park in Brooklyn , a potential violation of his ban on `` nonessential '' trips .
His former spokeswoman Lis Smith panned his performance on Monday , telling Politico : `` I do not think he has done well , and I do n't know a single person who thinks he has done well . ''
While de Blasio criticized the NYPD on Friday , saying the racial discrepancies show `` something 's wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what guidance he has given police and why he has singled out the Jewish community in his public statements .
The NYPD said it has issued 374 summonses `` for acts likely to spread disease and to violate emergency measures '' —such as a failure to properly distance or wear masks—between March 16 and May 5 .
Over half of those summonses , 193 , were issued to black respondents , and 111 were issued to Hispanic respondents .
Fifty-one were white , 14 were Asian or Pacific Islander , 3 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the NYPD statistics .
The NYPD has `` had around 1,000,000 contacts with the public in our awareness and educational visits across the five boroughs '' during its enforcement of de Blasio 's coronavirus laws , spokeswoman Mary Frances O'Donnell told the Washington Free Beacon .
The department indicated earlier this month that it would provide masks to individuals without face protection rather than impose a criminal penalty .
De Blasio decried the police statistics during a press conference on Friday .
`` When I saw those numbers I found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's wrong and we need to fix it .
And we will fix it , '' said de Blasio .
The New York City mayor faced public backlash after he posted a Twitter comment singling out the `` Jewish community '' for alleged violations of his social-distancing laws .
`` My message to the Jewish community , and all communities , is this simple : the time for warnings has passed .
I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
Period , '' wrote de Blasio on April 28 .
He made the comments after photos went viral online showing crowds of Orthodox Jewish mourners attending the funeral of a Hasidic rabbi .
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers also issued a statement on Monday criticizing the `` disparate treatment by law enforcement authorities as well as pronouncements by elected political officials adversely impacting groups including African Americans , Asian Americans , Hasidic Jewish Americans , and Hispanic Americans , among others . ''
`` Overcriminalization inevitably results in selective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardest , '' said NACDL president Nina J. Ginsberg .
`` Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past when we turned public health concerns associated with drugs into an instrument of oppression and put the nation on a path to mass incarceration .
Let us be smart this time and rely on civic education rather than criminal prosecution . ''

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio is under fire from liberal groups raising serious concerns about the selective enforcement of social-distancing regulations.
In the wake of a tweet in which de Blasio singled out Jewish New Yorkers, warning them to adhere to the regulations, two liberal groups on Monday called on the mayor to remove enforcement of the regulations from the purview of the New York Police Department.
Data compiled by the NYPD show that though de Blasio has chided Jews for their failure to follow the guidelines, there is no indication the Orthodox Jewish community has violated the laws at a higher rate than other New Yorkers. Black and Hispanic New Yorkers have received the vast majority of police summonses for violating social-distancing laws, which criminal justice reform advocates say is evidence that they are being selectively targeted by law enforcement.
"Following Mayor de Blasio's comments last month that raised legitimate fears of disparate enforcement toward New York's Orthodox Jewish community, his administration and local officials across the state should have taken every precaution to ensure the enforcement of social distancing rules was carried out equally and consistently throughout the whole city, and without resorting to the kind of over-criminalization that has unnecessarily subjected far too many people to the criminal justice system," said Khalil Cumberbatch, the chief strategist of New Yorkers United for Justice, which advocates for criminal justice reform.
De Blasio's stumbling coronavirus response efforts have been a source of controversy. The NYPD union president called de Blasio an "idiot" for his comments about the Jewish community, which has been the target of increasing anti-Semitic violent attacks.
The mayor also faced criticism last week for suggesting he might close the city parks—just days after he was spotted traveling 12 miles to take a walk in his favorite park in Brooklyn, a potential violation of his ban on "nonessential" trips. His former spokeswoman Lis Smith panned his performance on Monday, telling Politico: "I do not think he has done well, and I don't know a single person who thinks he has done well."
While de Blasio criticized the NYPD on Friday, saying the racial discrepancies show "something's wrong," his office declined to comment on what guidance he has given police and why he has singled out the Jewish community in his public statements.
The NYPD said it has issued 374 summonses "for acts likely to spread disease and to violate emergency measures"—such as a failure to properly distance or wear masks—between March 16 and May 5. Over half of those summonses, 193, were issued to black respondents, and 111 were issued to Hispanic respondents. Fifty-one were white, 14 were Asian or Pacific Islander, 3 were American Indian, and 2 were unknown, according to the NYPD statistics.
The NYPD has "had around 1,000,000 contacts with the public in our awareness and educational visits across the five boroughs" during its enforcement of de Blasio's coronavirus laws, spokeswoman Mary Frances O'Donnell told the Washington Free Beacon. The department indicated earlier this month that it would provide masks to individuals without face protection rather than impose a criminal penalty.
De Blasio decried the police statistics during a press conference on Friday.
"When I saw those numbers I found them to be an indicator that something's wrong and we need to fix it. And we will fix it," said de Blasio.
The New York City mayor faced public backlash after he posted a Twitter comment singling out the "Jewish community" for alleged violations of his social-distancing laws.
"My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period," wrote de Blasio on April 28.
He made the comments after photos went viral online showing crowds of Orthodox Jewish mourners attending the funeral of a Hasidic rabbi.
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers also issued a statement on Monday criticizing the "disparate treatment by law enforcement authorities as well as pronouncements by elected political officials adversely impacting groups including African Americans, Asian Americans, Hasidic Jewish Americans, and Hispanic Americans, among others."
"Overcriminalization inevitably results in selective law enforcement that hits minority communities the hardest," said NACDL executive director Norman L. Reimer. "Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past when we turned public health concerns associated with drugs into an instrument of oppression and put the nation on a path to mass incarceration. Let us be smart this time and rely on civic education rather than criminal prosecution."
CORRECTION, May 10, 9:54 p.m.: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that the head of the NYPD union, not the head of the NYPD, called de Blasio an "idiot."
CORRECTION, May 11, 3:52 p.m.: This article previously misattributed a quote to NACDL president Nina Ginsberg. The quote came from NACDL executive director Reimer.


freebeacon--2020-05-11--Caving to Chinese Pressure, WHO Will Not Invite Taiwan to Global Health Meeting

The World Health Organization has denied an appeal for Taiwan to join an upcoming meeting on the global health situation amid protests from China , which has sought to exclude the nation from pressing deliberations .
Steven Solomon , the WHO 's top legal official , was quoted as saying on Monday that `` divergent views '' among United Nations member states had stopped the organization from extending an invitation to Taiwan to attend its annual confab .
These views have largely emanated from China , which has long rebuffed international calls for Taiwan to have a seat at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision-making body .
Taiwan has attended past meetings as an observer .
`` To put it crisply , director-generals only extend invitations when it 's clear that member states support doing so , that director-generals have a mandate , a basis to do so , '' Solomon said .
The United States and its allies have pushed for Taiwan 's inclusion amid mounting concerns that the WHO is being controlled by China .
The communist regime 's sway at the organization has been on full display since the coronavirus pandemic broke out and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the virus .
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have accused the WHO of `` taking its cues from China , '' and there have been mounting calls for WHO 's director-general to step down for parroting Chinese government talking points .

The World Health Organization has denied an appeal for Taiwan to join an upcoming meeting on the global health situation amid protests from China, which has sought to exclude the nation from pressing deliberations.
Steven Solomon, the WHO's top legal official, was quoted as saying on Monday that "divergent views" among United Nations member states had stopped the organization from extending an invitation to Taiwan to attend its annual confab. These views have largely emanated from China, which has long rebuffed international calls for Taiwan to have a seat at the World Health Assembly, the WHO's decision-making body. Taiwan has attended past meetings as an observer.
"To put it crisply, director-generals only extend invitations when it's clear that member states support doing so, that director-generals have a mandate, a basis to do so," Solomon said.
The United States and its allies have pushed for Taiwan's inclusion amid mounting concerns that the WHO is being controlled by China. The communist regime's sway at the organization has been on full display since the coronavirus pandemic broke out and the WHO helped Beijing obfuscate critical information about the virus.
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have accused the WHO of "taking its cues from China," and there have been mounting calls for WHO's director-general to step down for parroting Chinese government talking points.


freebeacon--2020-05-11--Virginia Indoor Gun Ranges Allowed to Reopen Friday

Activists are celebrating Virginia Democratic governor Ralph Northam 's decision to lift restrictions on indoor gun ranges in what they argue is a direct response to a recent court victory .
Northam released an executive order on Friday that will allow indoor shooting ranges to operate starting May 15 so long as they follow strict guidelines .
Ranges that reopen must operate at half capacity , require face coverings for employees , and adopt enhanced disinfecting for commonly used surfaces and rental equipment .
Ranges that flout the rules could face misdemeanor charges .
The announcement came after a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shutter an indoor gun range in Lynchburg .
Second Amendment activists said the decision set the stage for potentially unravelling the Democrat 's emergency power .
Philip Van Cleave , president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League which filed suit against the range shutdowns , said the case demonstrated Northam 's flawed handling of the crisis , including his classification of the facilities as `` entertainment '' venues .
`` We consider both the reclassification of indoor shooting ranges to no longer be ‘ entertainment , ' and their reopening this coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` They should have been classified as ‘ essential ' from the beginning . ''
Judge F. Patrick Yeatts of the 24th Judicial Circuit of Virginia ruled Northam 's shutdown of indoor ranges violated state gun-rights protections in April .
The ruling only applied to the named plaintiff , Lynchburg Range & Training , but activists planned to issue further legal challenges to Northam 's order .
Northam 's office did not respond to a request for comment .
Mark Oliva , a spokesman for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firearms industry was `` encouraged '' by the governor 's reversal , saying executive authority `` does not supersede God-given and constitutionally protected rights , especially during pandemics . ''
`` Frankly , the lifting of these restrictions was long overdue and the order to shut them down was proven unconstitutional , '' he said .
Oliva said the shutdown may have had a significant effect on new gun owners who have flooded shops in response to the pandemic .
The FBI conducted more than 145,000 gun checks in Virginia over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranges provide many residents with their only opportunity for live-fire training , as many do not live near the public outdoor ranges that were allowed to remain open during the crisis .
`` Governor Northam 's order did more to damage firearm safety than anything , '' he said .
`` The place for these new owners to learn proper storage , safe and responsible firearm handling and marksmanship is with qualified and reputable training experts .
Virginia 's governor denied that to new gun owners and weakened efforts like that of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide true gun safety . ''
He said the industry has been willing to abide by social distancing as well as disinfecting guidelines .
He pointed to the fact that most other states did not shut down ranges as evidence Northam 's policy was not needed .
`` NSSF has advocated for all firearm retailers and ranges to abide by CDC and state health guidelines to ensure safety for their staff and customers throughout this pandemic , '' Oliva said .
`` The fact that ranges in other states have been able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unnecessary this restriction was . ''
The Virginia order comes as states across the country debate how to reopen society while trying to avoid a new wave of coronavirus cases .
Under phase one of Northam 's order , state and local authorities will be monitoring implementation in the next few weeks , which could shape whether restrictions are relaxed or reintroduced .
How the state handles reopening could also determine whether legal battles over the shutdown outlast the shutdown itself .
Van Cleave is keeping the range lawsuit active to deter officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For now , the lawsuit is still on the table , '' he said .
`` It has not been withdrawn . ''
The reopening order remains in effect until June 10 .

Activists are celebrating Virginia Democratic governor Ralph Northam's decision to lift restrictions on indoor gun ranges in what they argue is a direct response to a recent court victory.
Northam released an executive order on Friday that will allow indoor shooting ranges to operate starting May 15 so long as they follow strict guidelines. Ranges that reopen must operate at half capacity, require face coverings for employees, and adopt enhanced disinfecting for commonly used surfaces and rental equipment. Ranges that flout the rules could face misdemeanor charges.
The announcement came after a state court ruled that Northam lacked the authority to shutter an indoor gun range in Lynchburg. Second Amendment activists said the decision set the stage for potentially unravelling the Democrat's emergency power. Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League which filed suit against the range shutdowns, said the case demonstrated Northam's flawed handling of the crisis, including his classification of the facilities as "entertainment" venues.
"We consider both the reclassification of indoor shooting ranges to no longer be 'entertainment,' and their reopening this coming Friday to be a victory," he told the Washington Free Beacon. "They should have been classified as 'essential' from the beginning."
Judge F. Patrick Yeatts of the 24th Judicial Circuit of Virginia ruled Northam's shutdown of indoor ranges violated state gun-rights protections in April. The ruling only applied to the named plaintiff, Lynchburg Range & Training, but activists planned to issue further legal challenges to Northam's order.
Northam's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said the firearms industry was "encouraged" by the governor's reversal, saying executive authority "does not supersede God-given and constitutionally protected rights, especially during pandemics."
"Frankly, the lifting of these restrictions was long overdue and the order to shut them down was proven unconstitutional," he said.
Oliva said the shutdown may have had a significant effect on new gun owners who have flooded shops in response to the pandemic. The FBI conducted more than 145,000 gun checks in Virginia over the past two months. He said indoor gun ranges provide many residents with their only opportunity for live-fire training, as many do not live near the public outdoor ranges that were allowed to remain open during the crisis.
"Governor Northam's order did more to damage firearm safety than anything," he said. "The place for these new owners to learn proper storage, safe and responsible firearm handling and marksmanship is with qualified and reputable training experts. Virginia's governor denied that to new gun owners and weakened efforts like that of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and many others to provide true gun safety."
He said the industry has been willing to abide by social distancing as well as disinfecting guidelines. He pointed to the fact that most other states did not shut down ranges as evidence Northam's policy was not needed.
"NSSF has advocated for all firearm retailers and ranges to abide by CDC and state health guidelines to ensure safety for their staff and customers throughout this pandemic," Oliva said. "The fact that ranges in other states have been able to do this all along demonstrates how unnecessary this restriction was."
The Virginia order comes as states across the country debate how to reopen society while trying to avoid a new wave of coronavirus cases. Under phase one of Northam's order, state and local authorities will be monitoring implementation in the next few weeks, which could shape whether restrictions are relaxed or reintroduced. How the state handles reopening could also determine whether legal battles over the shutdown outlast the shutdown itself. Van Cleave is keeping the range lawsuit active to deter officials from interfering in range operations.
"For now, the lawsuit is still on the table," he said. "It has not been withdrawn."
The reopening order remains in effect until June 10.


freebeacon--2020-05-11--Report: Kamala Harris Bored as Senator, Misses Being Able to Lock People Up

Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) is `` frustrated by the bureaucracy '' in Washington and pines for the authority she enjoyed as attorney general of California , according to the New York Times .
In other words , she misses being able to lock people up—for minor drug offenses , for truancy , and so on .
The Times reported Monday that Harris `` has mused to allies about missing the control afforded to her '' as a chief prosecutor .
As attorney general of California , for example , Harris shunned progressive concerns about `` criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruthlessly aggressive approach to law enforcement .
That could make Harris a good match as Joe Biden 's running mate or even attorney general , a position that would certainly give her the `` control '' she craves , as well as an unlimited capacity to lock people up .
Choosing Harris as a running mate or attorney general would represent another victory for Biden 's ongoing campaign to destroy everything the activist left pretends to care about , such as the # MeToo movement .
Like Harris , Biden has favored a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , he criticized former president George H. W. Bush for not doing enough to keep `` violent thugs '' off the streets and echoed Hillary Clinton 's concerns about `` predators . ''
Biden even spoke highly of former president Richard Nixon 's `` law and order '' platform , complaining that Democrats were too soft on crime and expressing his desire to `` lock the SOBs up . ''
Not that Harris is openly campaigning for a role in the Biden administration .
That 's why all her allies agreed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why publicly advocating for a prominent position just is n't Kamala 's style .
She 's like failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams but without all the thirst .
Harris is probably really embarrassed about the anonymous `` political figure '' who accidentally told the Times the details of a `` candid conversation '' with her—that she would `` consider the role of attorney general '' if not selected as vice president .
Per the Times , Harris 's team dissuaded celebrity activist Al Sharpton from publicly endorsing Abrams .
But again , Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times spoke to `` others '' who insisted that `` such political prognostication is not how Ms. Harris operates . ''
That 's at least partially true .
Early in her political career , Harris maneuvered to attain power via her influential boyfriend , Willie Brown , the former speaker of the California State Assembly and a 2019 Washington Free Beacon Man of the Year .

Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) is "frustrated by the bureaucracy" in Washington and pines for the authority she enjoyed as attorney general of California, according to the New York Times.
In other words, she misses being able to lock people up—for minor drug offenses, for truancy, and so on. The Times reported Monday that Harris "has mused to allies about missing the control afforded to her" as a chief prosecutor. As attorney general of California, for example, Harris shunned progressive concerns about "criminal justice reform" in favor of a ruthlessly aggressive approach to law enforcement.
That could make Harris a good match as Joe Biden's running mate or even attorney general, a position that would certainly give her the "control" she craves, as well as an unlimited capacity to lock people up. Choosing Harris as a running mate or attorney general would represent another victory for Biden's ongoing campaign to destroy everything the activist left pretends to care about, such as the #MeToo movement.
Like Harris, Biden has favored a ruthless approach to criminal justice. For example, he criticized former president George H. W. Bush for not doing enough to keep "violent thugs" off the streets and echoed Hillary Clinton's concerns about "predators." Biden even spoke highly of former president Richard Nixon's "law and order" platform, complaining that Democrats were too soft on crime and expressing his desire to "lock the SOBs up."
Not that Harris is openly campaigning for a role in the Biden administration. That's why all her allies agreed to speak anonymously to a Times reporter—to explain why publicly advocating for a prominent position just isn't Kamala's style. She's like failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams but without all the thirst.
Harris is probably really embarrassed about the anonymous "political figure" who accidentally told the Times the details of a "candid conversation" with her—that she would "consider the role of attorney general" if not selected as vice president. Per the Times, Harris's team dissuaded celebrity activist Al Sharpton from publicly endorsing Abrams. But again, Harris isn't interested in political maneuvering. The Times spoke to "others" who insisted that "such political prognostication is not how Ms. Harris operates."
That's at least partially true. Early in her political career, Harris maneuvered to attain power via her influential boyfriend, Willie Brown, the former speaker of the California State Assembly and a 2019 Washington Free Beacon Man of the Year.


freebeacon--2020-05-11--Biden Calls for Resumption of Palestinian Aid as New Payments to Terrorists Revealed

Just days after Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden called for a full resumption of U.S. aid to the Palestinian government , new disclosures revealed the Palestinians are still using international contributions to pay salaries to terrorists who have killed Israeli citizens .
Congress first froze aid to the Palestinian Authority in 2017 after it became clear the government was spending a large portion of the money on a `` pay to slay '' program , which sends funds to imprisoned terrorists and their families .
While a bipartisan majority of Congress passed the bill , far left factions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid to resume without conditions that payments to terrorists cease .
Biden vowed to resume U.S. aid just days before a watchdog group discovered the Palestinian government has continued using international aid to make these payments .
`` I will reopen the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem , find a way to reopen the PLO 's diplomatic mission in Washington , and resume the decades-long economic and security assistance efforts to the Palestinians that the Trump administration stopped , '' Biden said last week in a statement .
Biden inaccurately claimed it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeze .
In fact , Congress mandated the freeze in 2018 when it passed the Taylor Force Act , legislation that required the Palestinian government to end compensation programs for terrorists .
The Trump administration did end funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency , which has long faced accusations of promoting anti-Israel educational materials and helps hide terrorist activity .
New reports by an Israeli watchdog group indicate that the Palestinian government has continued `` pay to slay '' payments in secret , an effort the watchdog says is meant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeks to account for how the money was spent .
`` The Palestinian Authority 's monthly financial documents for 2020 show that the PA is , again , trying to hide its monthly salary payments to the Palestinian terrorist prisoners from the international community , '' Palestinian Media Watch ( PMW ) , an Israeli group that monitors the PA , reported last week .
`` Its monthly budget performance reports for 2018 and 2019 openly listed the salaries to terrorist prisoners as expenditures of the PA Ministry of Prisoners ' Affairs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there is no listing at all for the Ministry of Prisoners ' Affairs . ''
After reviewing the PA 's budget documents , PMW determined `` the PA is still paying the monthly salaries to terrorist prisoners , but is trying to hide them by listing them under a different category . ''
This budgetary strategy is meant to hide these payments from the public , despite numerous statements from Palestinian leaders that the `` pay to slay '' program will never be canceled .
`` There is something that the Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the martyrs and the martyrs ' families , '' PA president Mahmoud Abbas said in 2018 , when the freeze in aid was being debated in Congress .
`` Of course we categorically reject this .
We will not under any circumstances allow anyone to harm the families of the prisoners , the wounded , and the martyrs .
They are our children and they are our families .
They honor us , and we will continue to pay them before the living . ''
Instead of listing allocations to the Ministry of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shifted more than 1 million Israeli shekels—just under $ 300,000—to `` PLO institutions , '' a reference to the Palestine Liberation Organization 's budget .
`` There has been a huge rise in the amount the PA transfers to the ‘ PLO institutions'—an amount equivalent to what the PA used to allocate to the Ministry of Prisoners ' Affairs , '' according to PMW .
`` In other words , the PA is continuing to fund the salaries to terrorists but is listing it , not as a direct PA expense , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment on these payments or whether the disclosure might alter their candidate 's stance on the matter .

Just days after Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden called for a full resumption of U.S. aid to the Palestinian government, new disclosures revealed the Palestinians are still using international contributions to pay salaries to terrorists who have killed Israeli citizens.
Congress first froze aid to the Palestinian Authority in 2017 after it became clear the government was spending a large portion of the money on a "pay to slay" program, which sends funds to imprisoned terrorists and their families. While a bipartisan majority of Congress passed the bill, far left factions of the Democratic Party have been pushing for the aid to resume without conditions that payments to terrorists cease.
Biden vowed to resume U.S. aid just days before a watchdog group discovered the Palestinian government has continued using international aid to make these payments.
"I will reopen the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem, find a way to reopen the PLO's diplomatic mission in Washington, and resume the decades-long economic and security assistance efforts to the Palestinians that the Trump administration stopped," Biden said last week in a statement.
Biden inaccurately claimed it was the Trump administration that spearheaded the aid freeze. In fact, Congress mandated the freeze in 2018 when it passed the Taylor Force Act, legislation that required the Palestinian government to end compensation programs for terrorists. The Trump administration did end funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which has long faced accusations of promoting anti-Israel educational materials and helps hide terrorist activity.
New reports by an Israeli watchdog group indicate that the Palestinian government has continued "pay to slay" payments in secret, an effort the watchdog says is meant to confuse the international community as it seeks to account for how the money was spent.
"The Palestinian Authority's monthly financial documents for 2020 show that the PA is, again, trying to hide its monthly salary payments to the Palestinian terrorist prisoners from the international community," Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), an Israeli group that monitors the PA, reported last week. "Its monthly budget performance reports for 2018 and 2019 openly listed the salaries to terrorist prisoners as expenditures of the PA Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs. However, since the beginning of 2020, there is no listing at all for the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs."
After reviewing the PA's budget documents, PMW determined "the PA is still paying the monthly salaries to terrorist prisoners, but is trying to hide them by listing them under a different category."
This budgetary strategy is meant to hide these payments from the public, despite numerous statements from Palestinian leaders that the "pay to slay" program will never be canceled.
"There is something that the Americans are telling us to stop—the salaries of the martyrs and the martyrs' families," PA president Mahmoud Abbas said in 2018, when the freeze in aid was being debated in Congress. "Of course we categorically reject this. We will not under any circumstances allow anyone to harm the families of the prisoners, the wounded, and the martyrs. They are our children and they are our families. They honor us, and we will continue to pay them before the living."
Instead of listing allocations to the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs, the PA has shifted more than 1 million Israeli shekels—just under $300,000—to "PLO institutions," a reference to the Palestine Liberation Organization's budget.
"There has been a huge rise in the amount the PA transfers to the 'PLO institutions'—an amount equivalent to what the PA used to allocate to the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs," according to PMW. "In other words, the PA is continuing to fund the salaries to terrorists but is listing it, not as a direct PA expense, but hiding it under the PLO expenditures."
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment on these payments or whether the disclosure might alter their candidate's stance on the matter.


freebeacon--2020-05-11--State AGs Press Congress to Investigate China’s Coronavirus Response

Republican attorneys general from 18 states are pressing Congress to investigate the Chinese government 's role in the coronavirus outbreak , telling legislators that the pandemic has `` wreaked havoc '' on their states .
The attorneys general , led by South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson , signed a letter demanding congressional hearings about `` the origins of COVID-19 and efforts by the communist Chinese government to deceive the international community . ''
The letter was addressed to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate , including Rep. Michael McCaul ( R. , Tex . )
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Task Force .
`` Reports suggest that the communist Chinese government willfully and knowingly concealed information about the severity of the virus while simultaneously stockpiling personal protective equipment , '' the attorneys general wrote .
`` The Chinese government , aided by the World Health Organization , appears to have intentionally misled the world over the last 6 months . ''
The letter will further embolden China hawks in Congress , most of them Republicans , to hold China accountable for its handling of the pandemic .
Republican leadership has already responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCarthy ( R. , Calif. ) unveiling on Thursday the China Task Force , an all-encompassing body that covers 14 different committee jurisdictions to consider `` a wide range of China-related issues '' from influence operations targeting the United States to the origins of the coronavirus outbreak .
Some state law enforcement officials have already launched aggressive efforts to make China pay for its role in the crisis .
Missouri attorney general Eric Schmitt , who has also signed onto the letter , is already suing the Chinese government for damages .
Mississippi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While their efforts face an uphill battle because foreign governments are typically protected from legal action , Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R. , Tenn. ) and other congressional Republicans have already introduced legislation to strip China of sovereign immunity .
`` I represent 6 million Missourians .
We 've got over 6,000 cases now , over 200 deaths .
It 's a tremendous impact , '' Schmitt told the Washington Free Beacon in April .
`` The human toll of people losing loved ones , not being able to visit family suffering from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attending funerals .
That 's not even mentioning the economic impact .
People living paycheck to paycheck ca n't feed their families now .
All because the Chinese government lied about this . ''
The attorneys general seconded Schmitt 's argument , telling lawmakers that they are considering `` similar legal actions '' to hold China accountable for the immense destruction wrought by the coronavirus .
`` COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our states and the Nation , '' they wrote .
`` We must all hold China accountable for the devastation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the attorney general for South Carolina , conceded that state governments have limited options available to them to hold China accountable .
Therefore , he said he organized this letter to signal that states want the federal government to look at `` every available remedy '' for the coronavirus pandemic , rather than just turning to American courts .
`` A singular lawsuit by state against another foreign sovereign—that ’ s only going to get you so far , '' he said .
`` We want to make sure that our elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available remedy available to this country into their respective states .
That includes not just legal remedies , but economic and diplomatic sanctions . ''
Since early March , Republican China hawks including Sen. Josh Hawley ( Mo . )
and Rep. Elise Stefanik ( N.Y. ) have faced pushback from Democratic colleagues , some of whom claim that efforts to hold China accountable are racist .
Rep. Seth Moulton ( D. , Mass . )
, for example , was forced in March to rescind his support for a bill condemning China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation .
Democratic willingness to scrutinize China has only cooled as the death toll and unemployment rolls have swelled .
The China Task Force , created as a bipartisan body , now boasts an all-Republican roster after Democrats pulled out at the last minute .
Rep. Jim Banks ( R. , Ind . )
, a leading critic of Beijing on Capitol Hill , accused Democrats of playing political games with the deadly pandemic—which could hinder the response to future outbreaks .
Congress , he said , should play a vital role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or how to prevent another one from happening . ''
`` If it wasn ’ t obvious before , this pandemic has made crystal clear that China is the biggest economic and military existential threat to the United States , but Democrats would rather play partisan games than address it , '' Banks said .

Republican attorneys general from 18 states are pressing Congress to investigate the Chinese government's role in the coronavirus outbreak, telling legislators that the pandemic has "wreaked havoc" on their states.
The attorneys general, led by South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson, signed a letter demanding congressional hearings about "the origins of COVID-19 and efforts by the communist Chinese government to deceive the international community." The letter was addressed to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate, including Rep. Michael McCaul (R., Tex.), the head of the new Republican-led China Task Force.
"Reports suggest that the communist Chinese government willfully and knowingly concealed information about the severity of the virus while simultaneously stockpiling personal protective equipment," the attorneys general wrote. "The Chinese government, aided by the World Health Organization, appears to have intentionally misled the world over the last 6 months."
The letter will further embolden China hawks in Congress, most of them Republicans, to hold China accountable for its handling of the pandemic. Republican leadership has already responded to those calls with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) unveiling on Thursday the China Task Force, an all-encompassing body that covers 14 different committee jurisdictions to consider "a wide range of China-related issues" from influence operations targeting the United States to the origins of the coronavirus outbreak.
Some state law enforcement officials have already launched aggressive efforts to make China pay for its role in the crisis. Missouri attorney general Eric Schmitt, who has also signed onto the letter, is already suing the Chinese government for damages. Mississippi has pledged to do the same. While their efforts face an uphill battle because foreign governments are typically protected from legal action, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) and other congressional Republicans have already introduced legislation to strip China of sovereign immunity.
"I represent 6 million Missourians. We've got over 6,000 cases now, over 200 deaths. It's a tremendous impact," Schmitt told the Washington Free Beacon in April. "The human toll of people losing loved ones, not being able to visit family suffering from the virus, [and] not attending funerals. That's not even mentioning the economic impact. People living paycheck to paycheck can't feed their families now. All because the Chinese government lied about this."
The attorneys general seconded Schmitt's argument, telling lawmakers that they are considering "similar legal actions" to hold China accountable for the immense destruction wrought by the coronavirus."COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our states and the Nation," they wrote. "We must all hold China accountable for the devastation and destruction caused by COVID-19."
Wilson, the attorney general for South Carolina, conceded that state governments have limited options available to them to hold China accountable. Therefore, he said he organized this letter to signal that states want the federal government to look at "every available remedy" for the coronavirus pandemic, rather than just turning to American courts.
"A singular lawsuit by state against another foreign sovereign—that’s only going to get you so far," he said. "We want to make sure that our elected representatives in Congress are looking at every available remedy available to this country into their respective states. That includes not just legal remedies, but economic and diplomatic sanctions."
Since early March, Republican China hawks including Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) have faced pushback from Democratic colleagues, some of whom claim that efforts to hold China accountable are racist. Rep. Seth Moulton (D., Mass.), for example, was forced in March to rescind his support for a bill condemning China's coronavirus response after Democrats condemned the legislation. Democratic willingness to scrutinize China has only cooled as the death toll and unemployment rolls have swelled. The China Task Force, created as a bipartisan body, now boasts an all-Republican roster after Democrats pulled out at the last minute.
Rep. Jim Banks (R., Ind.), a leading critic of Beijing on Capitol Hill, accused Democrats of playing political games with the deadly pandemic—which could hinder the response to future outbreaks. Congress, he said, should play a vital role in "learning how the COVID-19 pandemic began or how to prevent another one from happening."
"If it wasn’t obvious before, this pandemic has made crystal clear that China is the biggest economic and military existential threat to the United States, but Democrats would rather play partisan games than address it," Banks said.


freebeacon--2020-05-12--GOP Well-Positioned to Flip First California Seat Since 1998

California has not seen a congressional seat flip from blue to red in more than two decades , but state and national Republican officials say they are well-positioned to do so in Tuesday 's special election .
Democrats have scrambled to retain control of the state 's highly contested 25th Congressional District after former representative Katie Hill resigned in November 2019 amid a salacious scandal involving a `` throuple '' and allegations of workplace sexual misconduct .
Though registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district by 30,000 , Democratic state assemblywoman Christy Smith now trails Republican former Navy fighter pilot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that Republicans `` have outpaced us in this moment by about 10,000 ballots , '' a reference to early voting data showing that just 25 percent of registered Democrats have returned mail-in ballots , compared with nearly 40 percent of Republicans .
`` The best measure of how Republicans are doing right now is Christy Smith 's own statements , '' one GOP operative with knowledge of the race said .
Republicans held the suburban seat for more than 25 years before Hill 's 9-point defeat of former GOP incumbent Steve Knight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freshman congresswoman to cruise to reelection , but Hill 's `` throuple '' relationship with a campaign staffer and the coronavirus pandemic have tightened the race .
Heavy hitters in the Democratic Party are now rushing to influence the election .
Former president Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton endorsed Smith in early May as internal polling and returned mail-in ballots showed Smith trailing Garcia by thousands of votes .
`` The Obama and Clinton endorsements show how much Smith is struggling right now , '' the operative said .
`` They came about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mailed in the district and after many voters had returned those ballots . ''
Both parties are looking to the district as a bellwether for both the presidential election and contentious House races after Democrats flipped 37 suburban seats in 2018 .
The Southern California district was a prime example of the GOP 's suburban struggles under President Donald Trump , who lost to Clinton by 7 points in the district in 2016 .
A Garcia win would mark the first time since 1998 that a California Republican successfully won a seat held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national party officials , it could point to a path for success in November .
`` What will this result tell us about the ability of campaigns to get out their vote in these kinds of conditions ?
It 's not exactly going to be the same in November , but it 's clear that this virus is going to be with us for a while , '' California State University , Northridge political scientist Larry Becker said .
`` Looking at how voters respond to the virus in terms of those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting , that 's an important question that has implications beyond this district and beyond California in the fall . ''
The race 's reliance on vote-by-mail has highlighted Garcia 's pre-election day advantage—but not without controversy .
Los Angeles County officials on Friday announced the opening of a new voting center for the election in Lancaster , a city that has trended increasingly Democratic in recent years .
While Lancaster was not included in the original nine voting centers planned by the county , a voting center in nearby Palmdale was scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to open a new location just days before the election came after pressure from Smith 's struggling campaign , with spokesman Kunal Atit calling on county officials to `` review and rectify this oversight '' in a Tuesday statement .
California GOP chairwoman Jessica Patterson questioned the timing of the decision , saying it should not have been made so close to Election Day .
`` Voting centers were put into place well over a month ago , '' Patterson said .
`` If there was a problem with not opening a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been addressed a month ago . ''
Becker said that while he expects Garcia 's apparent lead to tighten on Election Day , the coronavirus pandemic makes it nearly impossible to predict whether a late surge from Smith would be enough .
`` I 'm sure that Democrats will close the gap to some extent in terms of returned ballots by Democratic voters , '' he said .
`` The question is , will it be enough , how many people are mailing their ballots in really late , how many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't know because there are so many things that are unusual in this situation that it 's hard to extrapolate from anything we 've seen before . ''
Trump took to Twitter following the announcement of the Lancaster voting center , calling the election `` rigged '' and accusing California Democrats of `` trying to steal it from Mike Garcia . ''
His fixation on the race highlights the abundance of national attention surrounding it—in addition to Trump , Garcia has received endorsements from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R. , Texas ) , and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley .
Smith , meanwhile , has racked up endorsements from Obama , Clinton , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) , and Sens .
Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) and Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) .
Hill has also endorsed Smith .
The disgraced congresswoman cut a TV ad in late April urging Democrats to turn out for the election .
The decision reportedly surprised national Democratic operatives and may backfire—a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfavorable rating topped her favorable rating in the district by double digits , according to Politico .
Both candidates have used their expanding national profiles to boast impressive fundraising hauls .
As of late April , both Smith and Garcia have raised close to $ 2.3 million and have spent nearly $ 2 million on the race .
Outside groups have also spent big , with the National Republican Congressional Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spending more than $ 3 million on the race combined , according to the Center for Responsive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies ammunition in late April when she mocked Garcia 's military qualifications , contrasting her `` constitutional law books '' with his `` pictures of planes . ''
Garcia graduated first in his flight-school class and flew in more than 30 combat missions .
Smith was also criticized for prioritizing her campaign over the coronavirus pandemic .
As chair of California 's Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management , Smith failed to hold a single committee hearing on the coronavirus .
She canceled a hearing scheduled for March 4 , one day after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garcia hold on to his lead , he will serve the remaining months of Hill 's term .
Smith and Garcia will then face off again in November to determine who holds the seat for a full two years .
While the November race will likely be tougher to win for Garcia given the increased turnout associated with presidential elections , Republicans are hopeful that momentum from the special election will once again put him in a position to win .
Regardless of Tuesday 's result , Garcia spokesman Lance Trover and Patterson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's matchup against Smith .
`` The differences between Mike Garcia and Christy Smith could n't be more clear—Mike is a former Navy fighter pilot and small businessman who wants to lower taxes , while liberal assemblywoman Smith has n't met a tax she did n't want to raise on Californians , '' Trover said .
`` That does n't change in November , '' he added .
Smith did not respond to a request for comment .

California has not seen a congressional seat flip from blue to red in more than two decades, but state and national Republican officials say they are well-positioned to do so in Tuesday's special election.
Democrats have scrambled to retain control of the state's highly contested 25th Congressional District after former representative Katie Hill resigned in November 2019 amid a salacious scandal involving a "throuple" and allegations of workplace sexual misconduct.
Though registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district by 30,000, Democratic state assemblywoman Christy Smith now trails Republican former Navy fighter pilot Mike Garcia. Smith told supporters on Thursday that Republicans "have outpaced us in this moment by about 10,000 ballots," a reference to early voting data showing that just 25 percent of registered Democrats have returned mail-in ballots, compared with nearly 40 percent of Republicans.
"The best measure of how Republicans are doing right now is Christy Smith's own statements," one GOP operative with knowledge of the race said.
Republicans held the suburban seat for more than 25 years before Hill's 9-point defeat of former GOP incumbent Steve Knight in 2018. National Democrats expected the freshman congresswoman to cruise to reelection, but Hill's "throuple" relationship with a campaign staffer and the coronavirus pandemic have tightened the race. Heavy hitters in the Democratic Party are now rushing to influence the election. Former president Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton endorsed Smith in early May as internal polling and returned mail-in ballots showed Smith trailing Garcia by thousands of votes.
"The Obama and Clinton endorsements show how much Smith is struggling right now," the operative said. "They came about three weeks after ballots had already been mailed in the district and after many voters had returned those ballots."
Both parties are looking to the district as a bellwether for both the presidential election and contentious House races after Democrats flipped 37 suburban seats in 2018. The Southern California district was a prime example of the GOP's suburban struggles under President Donald Trump, who lost to Clinton by 7 points in the district in 2016. A Garcia win would mark the first time since 1998 that a California Republican successfully won a seat held by a Democrat. More important for national party officials, it could point to a path for success in November.
"What will this result tell us about the ability of campaigns to get out their vote in these kinds of conditions? It's not exactly going to be the same in November, but it's clear that this virus is going to be with us for a while," California State University, Northridge political scientist Larry Becker said. "Looking at how voters respond to the virus in terms of those who choose the mail-ballot as opposed to in-person voting, that's an important question that has implications beyond this district and beyond California in the fall."
The race's reliance on vote-by-mail has highlighted Garcia's pre-election day advantage—but not without controversy. Los Angeles County officials on Friday announced the opening of a new voting center for the election in Lancaster, a city that has trended increasingly Democratic in recent years. While Lancaster was not included in the original nine voting centers planned by the county, a voting center in nearby Palmdale was scheduled to open nine miles away. The decision to open a new location just days before the election came after pressure from Smith's struggling campaign, with spokesman Kunal Atit calling on county officials to "review and rectify this oversight" in a Tuesday statement. California GOP chairwoman Jessica Patterson questioned the timing of the decision, saying it should not have been made so close to Election Day.
"Voting centers were put into place well over a month ago," Patterson said. "If there was a problem with not opening a voting center in Lancaster, that could have been addressed a month ago."
Becker said that while he expects Garcia's apparent lead to tighten on Election Day, the coronavirus pandemic makes it nearly impossible to predict whether a late surge from Smith would be enough.
"I'm sure that Democrats will close the gap to some extent in terms of returned ballots by Democratic voters," he said. "The question is, will it be enough, how many people are mailing their ballots in really late, how many people are intending to vote in person—we just don't know because there are so many things that are unusual in this situation that it's hard to extrapolate from anything we've seen before."
Trump took to Twitter following the announcement of the Lancaster voting center, calling the election "rigged" and accusing California Democrats of "trying to steal it from Mike Garcia." His fixation on the race highlights the abundance of national attention surrounding it—in addition to Trump, Garcia has received endorsements from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R., Texas), and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. Smith, meanwhile, has racked up endorsements from Obama, Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), and Sens. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) and Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.).
Hill has also endorsed Smith. The disgraced congresswoman cut a TV ad in late April urging Democrats to turn out for the election. The decision reportedly surprised national Democratic operatives and may backfire—a private December poll showed that Hill's unfavorable rating topped her favorable rating in the district by double digits, according to Politico.
Both candidates have used their expanding national profiles to boast impressive fundraising hauls. As of late April, both Smith and Garcia have raised close to $2.3 million and have spent nearly $2 million on the race. Outside groups have also spent big, with the National Republican Congressional Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spending more than $3 million on the race combined, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Smith gave Garcia and his allies ammunition in late April when she mocked Garcia's military qualifications, contrasting her "constitutional law books" with his "pictures of planes." Garcia graduated first in his flight-school class and flew in more than 30 combat missions.
Smith was also criticized for prioritizing her campaign over the coronavirus pandemic. As chair of California's Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management, Smith failed to hold a single committee hearing on the coronavirus. She canceled a hearing scheduled for March 4, one day after she celebrated her primary victory.
Should Garcia hold on to his lead, he will serve the remaining months of Hill's term. Smith and Garcia will then face off again in November to determine who holds the seat for a full two years. While the November race will likely be tougher to win for Garcia given the increased turnout associated with presidential elections, Republicans are hopeful that momentum from the special election will once again put him in a position to win. Regardless of Tuesday's result, Garcia spokesman Lance Trover and Patterson both expressed confidence in the California Republican's matchup against Smith.
"The differences between Mike Garcia and Christy Smith couldn't be more clear—Mike is a former Navy fighter pilot and small businessman who wants to lower taxes, while liberal assemblywoman Smith hasn't met a tax she didn't want to raise on Californians," Trover said.
"That doesn't change in November," Patterson said.
Smith did not respond to a request for comment.