freebeacon--2020-02-12--Liberal Groups and High-Powered Lawyers Swarm Detroit to Keep Dead Voters on Rolls

Liberal groups and high-powered New York attorneys swooped into Detroit this week to help the city fight a lawsuit over its voter roll irregularities , which included thousands of deceased individuals appearing on the rolls .
The League of Women Voters of Michigan and its Detroit chapter filed a motion to intervene on behalf of Detroit city clerk Janice Winfrey and Director of Elections George Azzouz .
Winfrey and Azzouz were sued in December by the Public Interest Legal Foundation ( PILF ) , an election integrity group .
The officials had ignored PILF 's requests to inspect Detroit 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ineligible voters on the city 's rolls .
The Brennan Center for Justice , a progressive policy institute at New York University School of Law , will help the League fight PILF 's lawsuit .
Myrna Pérez , the center 's director of voting rights and elections programs , and Eliza Sweren-Becker , counsel in the center 's Democracy Program , signed on to the motion .
New York-based attorneys from the Paul Weiss law firm , where former Obama attorney general Loretta Lynch is a partner , also joined the motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ converging on Detroit as part of a broader campaign against alleged efforts to `` purge '' individuals from voter rolls .
Democrats have built a massive network of nonprofit groups , funded by George Soros and other liberal donors , to oppose Republican-backed voting initiatives such as voter identification laws .
Michigan is a significant target for such efforts given its `` swing state '' status ; Trump won the state by just 10,000 votes in the 2016 election .
`` The national 2020 elections will be held in less than nine months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motion .
`` If a resolution of this matter—whether by court order or through a negotiated settlement—results in an aggressive purge and a heightened standard for voter list maintenance beyond reasonableness , the League may not have significant time to remedy the issue . ''
Logan Churchwell , communications director for PILF , said the groups still have to convince the court they belong in the room .
`` This is yet more evidence of the left 's deep investments to preserve faulty voter registration records and the questionable procedures at the root @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
PILF filed suit after discovering 2,500 deceased individuals among the city 's rolls and 5,000 duplicate registrations .
In a city where only 479,267 individuals are eligible to vote , PILF found 511,786 registered voters .
The League of Women Voters of Michigan did not respond to a request for comment .
Robert Atkins , the top attorney from Paul Weiss listed on the motion , also did not respond .
Many of the attorneys working with the League have donated to Democratic presidential and Senate candidates this cycle .
Atkins , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has provided contributions ranging from $ 250 to $ 3,000 to the presidential campaigns of Joe Biden , Pete Buttigieg , Kamala Harris , and Cory Booker .
Atkins also donated to the Senate campaigns of Cal Cunningham , running in North Carolina , and Theresa Greenfield , running in Iowa .
The IA/NC Senate 2020 committee , a joint fundraising venture between Cunningham and Greenfield , is bankrolled by dozens of attorneys at the firm , including Atkins and Loretta Lynch .
The committee has so far pushed $ 100,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 , it disbursed $ 1,100 to Paul Weiss for catering and room rental .
Another attorney listed on the League 's motion , William Michael , has also given thousands to Democratic presidential candidates including Biden and Amy Klobuchar .
Employees at Paul Weiss provided more than $ 1 million to Democrats and $ 180,000 to Republicans so far this cycle , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
Democrats began their attempts to chip away at Republican voting initiatives prior to the 2016 election .
After Trump 's victory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more robust infrastructure .
Marc Elias , a top Democratic lawyer at the Washington , D.C. , office of the Perkins Coie law firm , led efforts to combat voter identification laws during the 2016 cycle .
Elias , who was Hillary Clinton 's top campaign lawyer at the time , brought lawsuits forward in a number of states , including Virginia , Ohio , Wisconsin , and North Carolina .
The campaign was heavily funded by George Soros , who expressed a goal of expanding the electorate by 10 million voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the board of Priorities USA to lead its nonprofit arm 's efforts against state voting laws .
Priorities USA additionally absorbed Every Citizen Counts , a nonprofit created by Clinton allies that focused on mobilizing Latino and African-American voters .
The group began to zero in on voting issues .
A number of organizations carrying the same mission sprang up around that time .
Let America Vote , a nonprofit established by former Democratic Missouri secretary of state Jason Kander , was one .
It works with other liberal outfits and contains dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Elias , Stacey Abrams , and Guy Cecil , chairman of Priorities USA .

Liberal groups and high-powered New York attorneys swooped into Detroit this week to help the city fight a lawsuit over its voter roll irregularities, which included thousands of deceased individuals appearing on the rolls.
The League of Women Voters of Michigan and its Detroit chapter filed a motion to intervene on behalf of Detroit city clerk Janice Winfrey and Director of Elections George Azzouz. Winfrey and Azzouz were sued in December by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), an election integrity group. The officials had ignored PILF's requests to inspect Detroit's voter registrations after the group discovered thousands of ineligible voters on the city's rolls.
The Brennan Center for Justice, a progressive policy institute at New York University School of Law, will help the League fight PILF's lawsuit. Myrna Pérez, the center's director of voting rights and elections programs, and Eliza Sweren-Becker, counsel in the center's Democracy Program, signed on to the motion. New York-based attorneys from the Paul Weiss law firm, where former Obama attorney general Loretta Lynch is a partner, also joined the motion.
The liberal groups and attorneys are converging on Detroit as part of a broader campaign against alleged efforts to "purge" individuals from voter rolls. Democrats have built a massive network of nonprofit groups, funded by George Soros and other liberal donors, to oppose Republican-backed voting initiatives such as voter identification laws. Michigan is a significant target for such efforts given its "swing state" status; Trump won the state by just 10,000 votes in the 2016 election.
"The national 2020 elections will be held in less than nine months," the League states in its motion. "If a resolution of this matter—whether by court order or through a negotiated settlement—results in an aggressive purge and a heightened standard for voter list maintenance beyond reasonableness, the League may not have significant time to remedy the issue."
Logan Churchwell, communications director for PILF, said the groups still have to convince the court they belong in the room.
"This is yet more evidence of the left's deep investments to preserve faulty voter registration records and the questionable procedures at the root of the problem," Churchwell said.
PILF filed suit after discovering 2,500 deceased individuals among the city's rolls and 5,000 duplicate registrations. In a city where only 479,267 individuals are eligible to vote, PILF found 511,786 registered voters.
The League of Women Voters of Michigan did not respond to a request for comment. Robert Atkins, the top attorney from Paul Weiss listed on the motion, also did not respond.
Many of the attorneys working with the League have donated to Democratic presidential and Senate candidates this cycle. Atkins, co-chair of Paul Weiss's litigation department, has provided contributions ranging from $250 to $3,000 to the presidential campaigns of Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, and Cory Booker.
Atkins also donated to the Senate campaigns of Cal Cunningham, running in North Carolina, and Theresa Greenfield, running in Iowa. The IA/NC Senate 2020 committee, a joint fundraising venture between Cunningham and Greenfield, is bankrolled by dozens of attorneys at the firm, including Atkins and Loretta Lynch. The committee has so far pushed $100,000 to each of the candidates. On Dec. 16, it disbursed $1,100 to Paul Weiss for catering and room rental.
Another attorney listed on the League's motion, William Michael, has also given thousands to Democratic presidential candidates including Biden and Amy Klobuchar. Employees at Paul Weiss provided more than $1 million to Democrats and $180,000 to Republicans so far this cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Democrats began their attempts to chip away at Republican voting initiatives prior to the 2016 election. After Trump's victory, however, they mobilized to build a more robust infrastructure.
Marc Elias, a top Democratic lawyer at the Washington, D.C., office of the Perkins Coie law firm, led efforts to combat voter identification laws during the 2016 cycle. Elias, who was Hillary Clinton's top campaign lawyer at the time, brought lawsuits forward in a number of states, including Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. The campaign was heavily funded by George Soros, who expressed a goal of expanding the electorate by 10 million voters.
Following the 2016 election, Elias joined the board of Priorities USA to lead its nonprofit arm's efforts against state voting laws. Priorities USA additionally absorbed Every Citizen Counts, a nonprofit created by Clinton allies that focused on mobilizing Latino and African-American voters. The group began to zero in on voting issues.
A number of organizations carrying the same mission sprang up around that time. Let America Vote, a nonprofit established by former Democratic Missouri secretary of state Jason Kander, was one. It works with other liberal outfits and contains dozens of high-level operatives on its advisory board, including Elias, Stacey Abrams, and Guy Cecil, chairman of Priorities USA.


freebeacon--2020-02-12--NYT Writer Accuses Dem Rep of Being Bought by Bloomberg

New York Times columnist Charles Blow on Wednesday accused Rep. Lucy McBath ( D. , Ga. ) of being bought for her endorsement of Michael Bloomberg for president .
`` Everyone has a price .
EVERYONE , '' Blow said in a now-deleted tweet .
Blow was responding to a tweet from Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Greg Bluestein , who noted that Bloomberg 's gun control group spent more than $ 4.5 million to help McBath unseat Rep. Karen Handel ( R. , Ga. ) in 2018 .
Blow sent several tweets criticizing Bloomberg and his past support for the `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York police officers the authority to stop anyone they suspected of committing a crime without a warrant .
`` [ Bloomberg ] can give money to help remove Trump and to other worthy causes .
That 's all good .
But , I will NEVER vote for him , and I will ALWAYS remind people of the harm he caused , '' Blow tweeted .
Earlier in the morning , McBath took to Twitter to praise Bloomberg for helping `` fight back against gun violence '' and said she is `` proud to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Bloomberg released an accompanying statement with the endorsement praising McBath , who ran for Congress as an advocate for gun control after the shooting death of her son in 2012 .
`` She showed that gun safety can help Democrats flip red districts to blue , and that 's what I 'm working to do all over the country in this campaign , '' Bloomberg said .
`` As president , I will work with her to pass stronger common-sense gun safety laws that the vast majority of Americans support . ''

New York Times columnist Charles Blow on Wednesday accused Rep. Lucy McBath (D., Ga.) of being bought for her endorsement of Michael Bloomberg for president.
"Everyone has a price. EVERYONE," Blow said in a now-deleted tweet.
Blow was responding to a tweet from Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Greg Bluestein, who noted that Bloomberg's gun control group spent more than $4.5 million to help McBath unseat Rep. Karen Handel (R., Ga.) in 2018. Blow sent several tweets criticizing Bloomberg and his past support for the "stop-and-frisk" program, which gave New York police officers the authority to stop anyone they suspected of committing a crime without a warrant.
"[Bloomberg] can give money to help remove Trump and to other worthy causes. That's all good. But, I will NEVER vote for him, and I will ALWAYS remind people of the harm he caused," Blow tweeted.
Earlier in the morning, McBath took to Twitter to praise Bloomberg for helping "fight back against gun violence" and said she is "proud to stand with him in this race."
.@MikeBloomberg is the kind of fighter we need in the White House. He’s given mothers like me a way to fight back against gun violence. I’m proud to stand with him in this race. He will win this election, & work with Congress to pass common sense gun safety laws. #GetItDone pic.twitter.com/PpBhzHby6g — Lucy McBath (@lucymcbath) February 12, 2020
Bloomberg released an accompanying statement with the endorsement praising McBath, who ran for Congress as an advocate for gun control after the shooting death of her son in 2012.
"She showed that gun safety can help Democrats flip red districts to blue, and that's what I'm working to do all over the country in this campaign," Bloomberg said. "As president, I will work with her to pass stronger common-sense gun safety laws that the vast majority of Americans support."
Bloomberg has received 12 endorsements from Democratic House members.


freebeacon--2020-02-12--Student Activists Demand UChicago Divest From Israel

Students at the University of Chicago are demanding that the university disclose and retract its investments in Israel in a push to pressure the school to divest from what they term an Israeli occupation and human rights abuses .
Students affiliated with the University of Chicago ’ s chapter of IfNotNow—a national student organization that aims to `` defund the occupation , '' according to its website—briefly gathered outside the school 's main administration building on Monday to call for the full disclosure of the university ’ s investments in Israel .
According to the organization ’ s official Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group say that such investments are `` aiding and abetting human rights violations and grave breaches of international law in Palestine/Israel . ''
It is unclear whether the group is likely to replicate the pressure campaign underway at Chicago at other schools , and the organization did not respond to a request for comment .
The new campaign is representative of broadening anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses , where the Boycott , Divestment , and Sanctions movement , which aims to economically isolate the world ’ s only Jewish state over its alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Boycott , Divestment , and Sanctions movement does not protest human rights violations by any country other than Israel .
University officials have resisted the protesters ' demands .
The so-called Kalven Report , published in 1967 , restricts the university from engaging in any political activity in order to maintain the intellectual freedom of its individual scholars .
`` The instrument of dissent and criticism is the individual faculty member or the individual student .
The university is the home and sponsor of critics ; it is not itself the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a letter to the editor published Tuesday in the student newspaper , The Chicago Maroon , the school ’ s IfNotNow chapter argued that `` support for the occupation comes in many forms . ''
One of those forms , the group said , involves investing in tech companies like Microsoft , whose research and development efforts are based in Israel .
Investors in Microsoft , the group argued , are complicit in `` violence against Palestinians . ''
Israel ’ s Iron Dome , a defense system that the authors admit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' from indiscriminate missile fire by U.S.-designated terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah , is also classified as an immoral investment .
This is not the first time that the University of Chicago has come under fire from anti-Israel student activists .
Its student government voted to recommend that the university divest from Israel in 2016 , with a Palestinian student accusing those who opposed the resolution of abiding the murder of `` [ her ] people '' who were `` dying every day . ''
Shortly after the student government vote , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not divest from companies for doing business in Israel .
`` The University does not take social or political stances on issues outside its core mission .
Using investments or other means to advance a social or political position held by some segment of the University community would only diminish the University ’ s distinctive contribution — providing a home and environment for faculty and students to engage freely and openly on the widest range of issues , '' the school said in a statement .

Students at the University of Chicago are demanding that the university disclose and retract its investments in Israel in a push to pressure the school to divest from what they term an Israeli occupation and human rights abuses.
Students affiliated with the University of Chicago’s chapter of IfNotNow—a national student organization that aims to "defund the occupation," according to its website—briefly gathered outside the school's main administration building on Monday to call for the full disclosure of the university’s investments in Israel.
According to the organization’s official Twitter account, student activists affiliated with the group say that such investments are "aiding and abetting human rights violations and grave breaches of international law in Palestine/Israel." It is unclear whether the group is likely to replicate the pressure campaign underway at Chicago at other schools, and the organization did not respond to a request for comment.
The new campaign is representative of broadening anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses, where the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, which aims to economically isolate the world’s only Jewish state over its alleged human rights violations, has gained traction. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement does not protest human rights violations by any country other than Israel.
University officials have resisted the protesters' demands. The so-called Kalven Report, published in 1967, restricts the university from engaging in any political activity in order to maintain the intellectual freedom of its individual scholars.
"The instrument of dissent and criticism is the individual faculty member or the individual student. The university is the home and sponsor of critics; it is not itself the critic," the report states.
In a letter to the editor published Tuesday in the student newspaper, The Chicago Maroon, the school’s IfNotNow chapter argued that "support for the occupation comes in many forms." One of those forms, the group said, involves investing in tech companies like Microsoft, whose research and development efforts are based in Israel. Investors in Microsoft, the group argued, are complicit in "violence against Palestinians." Israel’s Iron Dome, a defense system that the authors admit is "designed to protect Israeli civilians" from indiscriminate missile fire by U.S.-designated terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, is also classified as an immoral investment.
This is not the first time that the University of Chicago has come under fire from anti-Israel student activists. Its student government voted to recommend that the university divest from Israel in 2016, with a Palestinian student accusing those who opposed the resolution of abiding the murder of "[her] people" who were "dying every day."
Shortly after the student government vote, the university issued a statement indicating that it would not divest from companies for doing business in Israel.
"The University does not take social or political stances on issues outside its core mission. Using investments or other means to advance a social or political position held by some segment of the University community would only diminish the University’s distinctive contribution -- providing a home and environment for faculty and students to engage freely and openly on the widest range of issues," the school said in a statement.


freebeacon--2020-02-12--Where’s Hunter? Until Recently, On the Board of the Left’s Premier National Security Network

If Joe Biden 's presidential campaign collapses in the coming weeks , as looks increasingly likely , it will be in part because of stories like this .
In 2011 , two years into his father 's term as vice president , Hunter Biden was appointed by the Truman National Security Project , a left-leaning foreign policy network , to its board of directors .
The younger Biden was , at the time , one of just six members of the governing board , where he served alongside the organization 's founder and CEO , Rachel Kleinfeld , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no obvious qualifications for the position .
As the Truman Project expanded , Democratic national security heavyweights including Jake Sullivan , Hillary Clinton 's foreign policy guru who ran the Department of Policy Planning during her tenure at Foggy Bottom ; Matthew Spence , a Defense Department veteran who served as a senior aide to Obama national security adviser Tom Donilon ; and Steve Israel , the former Democratic congressman and head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee , eventually joined Biden on the board .
A cached version of the organization 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position of vice chairman of the board , serving there until at least March of 2019 .
It is not clear precisely when—or why—Biden stepped down from the board , and the Truman Project did not respond to requests for comment .
But during his tenure on the board , according to the New Yorker , he was in and out of drug rehabilitation facilities several times and , in 2014 , joined the board of the Ukrainian gas giant Burisma and was discharged from the U.S. Navy after he failed a drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had smoked outside a bar may have been , unbeknownst to him , laced with cocaine .
Founded in 2004 by Kleinfeld , a Yale University graduate and Rhodes Scholar , the Truman National Security Project was intended to mirror conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute .
Funded by the Ploughshares Fund , the organization awards dozens of fellowships every year and aims to mentor a new generation of Democratic foreign policy leaders .
Kleinfeld , who left the organization in 2013 and now serves as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for International Peace , did not respond to a request for comment .
The Truman National Security Project did not return multiple requests for comment .
A lawyer for Hunter Biden did not respond to a request for comment .
A spokeswoman for John P. Driscoll , the chairman of the board of the Truman National Security Project , did not respond to a series of questions including why Biden was appointed to the board and when he stepped down from the position .
Kleinfeld has , however , written about her deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2014 , the year Biden joined Burisma 's board , that `` Iraq 's fall on the heels of Ukraine 's collapse should be compelling .
Curbing corruption before it tips into Kalashnikov-carrying rebels and public crucifixions is good security policy .
And we need to get better at it . ''
Biden was appointed to the Burisma board as the oil and gas giant faced a slew of corruption investigations involving its owner , Mikhail Zlochevsky , who was facing a money laundering investigation .
During Biden 's time on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization joined a network of other left-leaning national-security oriented outlets with which it is closely linked , decried the Trump administration 's foreign policy initiatives and called for the resignation of Attorney General William Barr .
Defend American Democracy , which identifies the Truman National Security Project as a `` partner organization , '' ran a national ad urging Americans to `` hold the president accountable for abusing his office and risking national security for his own gain . ''
Biden was n't the organization 's only connection to Burisma .
Throughout his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sally Painter , the chief operating officer of the Washington , D.C. , lobbying firm Blue Star Strategies , which was hired by Burisma to improve the company 's image in the United States .
A November Wall Street Journal report detailed how Painter 's colleague , Karen Tramontano , used Biden 's name in an effort to secure meetings with senior State Department officials , though the paper said it was not clear `` whether the younger Mr. Biden knew his name was being used by Blue Star in its contacts with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early 2016 . ''
While it is unclear when , exactly , Burisma retained Blue Star Strategies , Biden and Painter were serving together on the Truman board while Blue Star was working for Burisma .
As a tax-exempt organization , the Truman National Security Project is required to file tax returns indicating whether any of its officers or key employees have a `` business relationship '' with any others .
Though Burisma tapped Painter 's public relations outfit while Biden was a member of the board , the Truman Project answered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that its officers had been briefed on their duty to disclose any conflicts of interest and that it was `` regularly and consistently '' monitoring compliance with the policy .
Michael Breen , president and CEO of Human Rights First , who served as president and CEO of the Truman Project when the tax returns were filed , and who is identified on them as the individual who possesses the organization 's books and records , did not respond to phone calls or emails seeking comment .
Truman fellows can now be found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright ; Senators Chris Coons ( D. , Del . )
, Tammy Duckworth ( D. , Ill. ) and Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) ; and former undersecretary of defense for policy Michele Flournoy are board members of its sister organization , the Truman Center for National Policy .
The Truman National Security Project 's current president and CEO , Jenna Ben-Yehuda , whose contact information is not publicly listed on the organization 's website , did not respond to a request via Twitter for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiries .
A page listing the group 's membership is `` currently under construction , '' according to the group 's website , and the email address listed for press inquiries was inoperative .
On Tuesday—even before his disappointing fifth place finish in New Hampshire—Joe Biden fled the state for South Carolina , where he is hoping African-American voters will revive his flagging campaign .
If that hope proves futile , it will be in part because of the perception that , as vice president , Biden either used his name and influence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other way while they did so at places like Burisma and the Truman National Security Project .

If Joe Biden's presidential campaign collapses in the coming weeks, as looks increasingly likely, it will be in part because of stories like this.
In 2011, two years into his father's term as vice president, Hunter Biden was appointed by the Truman National Security Project, a left-leaning foreign policy network, to its board of directors. The younger Biden was, at the time, one of just six members of the governing board, where he served alongside the organization's founder and CEO, Rachel Kleinfeld, and a handful of corporate leaders. He had no obvious qualifications for the position.
As the Truman Project expanded, Democratic national security heavyweights including Jake Sullivan, Hillary Clinton's foreign policy guru who ran the Department of Policy Planning during her tenure at Foggy Bottom; Matthew Spence, a Defense Department veteran who served as a senior aide to Obama national security adviser Tom Donilon; and Steve Israel, the former Democratic congressman and head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, eventually joined Biden on the board.
A cached version of the organization's website shows that Biden rose to the position of vice chairman of the board, serving there until at least March of 2019. It is not clear precisely when—or why—Biden stepped down from the board, and the Truman Project did not respond to requests for comment. But during his tenure on the board, according to the New Yorker, he was in and out of drug rehabilitation facilities several times and, in 2014, joined the board of the Ukrainian gas giant Burisma and was discharged from the U.S. Navy after he failed a drug test. He later claimed that cigarettes he had smoked outside a bar may have been, unbeknownst to him, laced with cocaine.
Founded in 2004 by Kleinfeld, a Yale University graduate and Rhodes Scholar, the Truman National Security Project was intended to mirror conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. Funded by the Ploughshares Fund, the organization awards dozens of fellowships every year and aims to mentor a new generation of Democratic foreign policy leaders.
Kleinfeld, who left the organization in 2013 and now serves as a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, did not respond to a request for comment. The Truman National Security Project did not return multiple requests for comment. A lawyer for Hunter Biden did not respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for John P. Driscoll, the chairman of the board of the Truman National Security Project, did not respond to a series of questions including why Biden was appointed to the board and when he stepped down from the position.
Kleinfeld has, however, written about her deep concern about corruption in Ukraine, writing in 2014, the year Biden joined Burisma's board, that "Iraq's fall on the heels of Ukraine's collapse should be compelling. Curbing corruption before it tips into Kalashnikov-carrying rebels and public crucifixions is good security policy. And we need to get better at it."
Biden was appointed to the Burisma board as the oil and gas giant faced a slew of corruption investigations involving its owner, Mikhail Zlochevsky, who was facing a money laundering investigation.
During Biden's time on the board of the Truman Project, the organization joined a network of other left-leaning national-security oriented outlets with which it is closely linked, decried the Trump administration's foreign policy initiatives and called for the resignation of Attorney General William Barr. Defend American Democracy, which identifies the Truman National Security Project as a "partner organization," ran a national ad urging Americans to "hold the president accountable for abusing his office and risking national security for his own gain."
Biden wasn't the organization's only connection to Burisma. Throughout his tenure on the board he sat alongside Sally Painter, the chief operating officer of the Washington, D.C., lobbying firm Blue Star Strategies, which was hired by Burisma to improve the company's image in the United States. A November Wall Street Journal report detailed how Painter's colleague, Karen Tramontano, used Biden's name in an effort to secure meetings with senior State Department officials, though the paper said it was not clear "whether the younger Mr. Biden knew his name was being used by Blue Star in its contacts with State Department officials on Burisma's behalf in early 2016."
While it is unclear when, exactly, Burisma retained Blue Star Strategies, Biden and Painter were serving together on the Truman board while Blue Star was working for Burisma.
As a tax-exempt organization, the Truman National Security Project is required to file tax returns indicating whether any of its officers or key employees have a "business relationship" with any others. Though Burisma tapped Painter's public relations outfit while Biden was a member of the board, the Truman Project answered "no." It further indicated that its officers had been briefed on their duty to disclose any conflicts of interest and that it was "regularly and consistently" monitoring compliance with the policy.
Michael Breen, president and CEO of Human Rights First, who served as president and CEO of the Truman Project when the tax returns were filed, and who is identified on them as the individual who possesses the organization's books and records, did not respond to phone calls or emails seeking comment.
Truman fellows can now be found throughout the D.C. foreign policy establishment. Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright; Senators Chris Coons (D., Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D., Ill.) and Kamala Harris (D., Calif.); and former undersecretary of defense for policy Michele Flournoy are board members of its sister organization, the Truman Center for National Policy.
The Truman National Security Project's current president and CEO, Jenna Ben-Yehuda, whose contact information is not publicly listed on the organization's website, did not respond to a request via Twitter for an appropriate point of contact for media inquiries. A page listing the group's membership is "currently under construction," according to the group's website, and the email address listed for press inquiries was inoperative.
On Tuesday—even before his disappointing fifth place finish in New Hampshire—Joe Biden fled the state for South Carolina, where he is hoping African-American voters will revive his flagging campaign. If that hope proves futile, it will be in part because of the perception that, as vice president, Biden either used his name and influence to help friends and family or looked the other way while they did so at places like Burisma and the Truman National Security Project.


freebeacon--2020-02-12--Poll: Majority of Swing State Voters Approve of Trump’s Killing of Soleimani

A majority of likely 2020 voters in key swing states support President Donald Trump 's recent decision to kill Iranian terrorist leader Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike , according to a new poll obtained by the Washington Free Beacon .
While 2020 Democratic presidential contenders have largely criticized the decision to take out Soleimani , a majority of voters in Florida , North Carolina , Ohio , Georgia , Michigan , and Pennsylvania said they backed the Trump administration 's action , according to a poll conducted by the America First Action PAC , a pro-Trump organization led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve as a boon to Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election in November .
Democratic frontrunners were quick to slam Trump for signing off on the strike , which killed Soleimani before he could orchestrate further terror strikes on American forces stationed in the Middle East .
Polls individually conducted in each of the swing states showed that by a slim majority , likely voters side with the administration .
The largest approval was found in North Carolina , the upcoming site of the 2020 Republican National Convention , where 59 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Soleimani killing .
Fifty-eight percent of likely voters in Georgia backed the decision , while 57.6 percent offered the same response in Pennsylvania , according to the poll .
In Ohio , 51.7 percent of respondents approved of the move , while 51.2 percent of likely Florida voters said the same .
Another 50 percent of likely voters in Michigan said they supported Trump 's decision .
The polls were conducted separately in each state from Jan. 18-23 .
Around 800 to 1,000 individuals were polled in each state .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3.4 percent .
Kelly Sadler , a spokeswoman for American First Action PAC , told the Free Beacon that the findings appear to put the 2020 Democratic frontrunners at odds with the feelings of average Americans in swing states .
`` President Trump acted decisively to deter those who kill Americans in the targeted strike against Iranian terrorist Qassem Soleimani , '' Sadler said .
`` The world is safer for it , and swing-state voters agree .
The world 's worst terrorist would still be alive and planning attacks to murder Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were president .
Only in the Democratic Party is killing a brutal terrorist a debate . ''
In addition to Trump receiving his highest approval rating to date at 49 percent , Gallup found that 53 percent of those surveyed approved of the Soleimani strike .
Not a single leading Democratic presidential candidate expressed support for the Soleimani killing , despite evidence the Iranian general and his terror proxies were planning operations against American forces .
`` You can not go around saying ‘ you ’ re a bad guy , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re opening the door to international anarchy that every government in the world will be subjected to attacks and assassination , '' Sanders said during the Feb. 7 Democratic debate .
Former vice president Joe Biden and former South Bend , Ind.
, mayor Pete Buttigieg also came out against Trump 's actions in the debate .
`` In the situation that we saw with President Trump 's decision , there is no evidence that that made our country safer , '' Buttigieg said .
`` The reason I would n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no evidence yet of imminent threat that was going to come from him , '' Biden said .

A majority of likely 2020 voters in key swing states support President Donald Trump's recent decision to kill Iranian terrorist leader Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike, according to a new poll obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
While 2020 Democratic presidential contenders have largely criticized the decision to take out Soleimani, a majority of voters in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania said they backed the Trump administration's action, according to a poll conducted by the America First Action PAC, a pro-Trump organization led by Linda McMahon.
The findings are likely to serve as a boon to Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election in November. Democratic frontrunners were quick to slam Trump for signing off on the strike, which killed Soleimani before he could orchestrate further terror strikes on American forces stationed in the Middle East.
Polls individually conducted in each of the swing states showed that by a slim majority, likely voters side with the administration.
The largest approval was found in North Carolina, the upcoming site of the 2020 Republican National Convention, where 59 percent of those surveyed said they agreed with the Soleimani killing.
Fifty-eight percent of likely voters in Georgia backed the decision, while 57.6 percent offered the same response in Pennsylvania, according to the poll. In Ohio, 51.7 percent of respondents approved of the move, while 51.2 percent of likely Florida voters said the same. Another 50 percent of likely voters in Michigan said they supported Trump's decision.
The polls were conducted separately in each state from Jan. 18-23. Around 800 to 1,000 individuals were polled in each state. The margin of error for the poll was 3.4 percent.
Kelly Sadler, a spokeswoman for American First Action PAC, told the Free Beacon that the findings appear to put the 2020 Democratic frontrunners at odds with the feelings of average Americans in swing states.
"President Trump acted decisively to deter those who kill Americans in the targeted strike against Iranian terrorist Qassem Soleimani," Sadler said. "The world is safer for it, and swing-state voters agree. The world's worst terrorist would still be alive and planning attacks to murder Americans if any of these 2020 Democratic candidates were president. Only in the Democratic Party is killing a brutal terrorist a debate."
A recent Gallup poll had similar findings.
In addition to Trump receiving his highest approval rating to date at 49 percent, Gallup found that 53 percent of those surveyed approved of the Soleimani strike.
Not a single leading Democratic presidential candidate expressed support for the Soleimani killing, despite evidence the Iranian general and his terror proxies were planning operations against American forces.
Current frontrunner Bernie Sanders expressed opposition to the killing.
"You cannot go around saying ‘you’re a bad guy, we’re going to assassinate you’ ... you’re opening the door to international anarchy that every government in the world will be subjected to attacks and assassination," Sanders said during the Feb. 7 Democratic debate.
Former vice president Joe Biden and former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg also came out against Trump's actions in the debate.
"In the situation that we saw with President Trump's decision, there is no evidence that that made our country safer," Buttigieg said.
"The reason I wouldn't have ordered the strike is there's no evidence yet of imminent threat that was going to come from him," Biden said.


freebeacon--2020-02-12--Yang: ‘I Can’t Believe I Lost to These People’

Businessman Andrew Yang announced he is suspending his presidential campaign , telling reporters he could not believe he lost to the Democrats he was running against .
`` There 's part of me that feels disappointed , like I did n't fulfill some people ’ s goals for this campaign , '' Yang told Buzzfeed .
`` There 's also a competitive part of me , too—like , I ca n't believe I lost to these people . ''
Yang also criticized his former rivals for not addressing issues that really matter .
`` When I speak at an event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an event , I feel like we 're sometimes speaking different languages , '' he told BuzzFeed .
`` And the language that I speak is just English , '' he said with a laugh .
`` With some numbers thrown in , too . ''
Yang campaigned on a universal basic income proposal he called `` The Freedom Dividend , '' which would have given Americans over the age of 18 a monthly stipend of $ 1,000 .
He also warned about the impacts of increased automation in the workplace and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also voiced concern over the way the Democratic presidential debates were moderated .
`` It felt like when the hell are they going to f—ing call on me ? ''
he said after a November debate on MSNBC .
`` The hypocrisy of MSNBC in a way just makes us stronger .
I 'm almost—almost grateful . ''
Yang clashed with the media over coverage of his campaign on multiple occasions .
MSNBC excluded him from a fundraising graphic , leading him to call out the network on Twitter .
The network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a polling graphic around the same time .
Sen. Michael Bennet ( D. , Colo. ) also dropped out of the race Tuesday night , leaving a still-crowded field heading towards the Nevada caucus on Feb. 22 .

Businessman Andrew Yang announced he is suspending his presidential campaign, telling reporters he could not believe he lost to the Democrats he was running against.
"There's part of me that feels disappointed, like I didn't fulfill some people’s goals for this campaign," Yang told Buzzfeed. "There's also a competitive part of me, too—like, I can't believe I lost to these people."
Yang also criticized his former rivals for not addressing issues that really matter.
"When I speak at an event and some of my fellow candidates speak at an event, I feel like we're sometimes speaking different languages," he told BuzzFeed.
"And the language that I speak is just English," he said with a laugh. "With some numbers thrown in, too."
Yang campaigned on a universal basic income proposal he called "The Freedom Dividend," which would have given Americans over the age of 18 a monthly stipend of $1,000. He also warned about the impacts of increased automation in the workplace and its effect on the American workforce.
He also voiced concern over the way the Democratic presidential debates were moderated.
"It felt like when the hell are they going to f—ing call on me?" he said after a November debate on MSNBC. "The hypocrisy of MSNBC in a way just makes us stronger. I'm almost—almost grateful."
Yang clashed with the media over coverage of his campaign on multiple occasions. MSNBC excluded him from a fundraising graphic, leading him to call out the network on Twitter. The network apologized to him after leaving him out of a polling graphic around the same time.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D., Colo.) also dropped out of the race Tuesday night, leaving a still-crowded field heading towards the Nevada caucus on Feb. 22.


freebeacon--2020-02-12--Dem Senator: Congress Isn’t Doing Its Job of Redistributing Income

Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D. , Ohio ) on Wednesday said Congress is not doing its job of redistributing income in a fair way .
`` We know Congress is n't doing its job to redistribute income in any way that 's fair to hundreds of millions of Americans , we know that , '' Brown said during a hearing at the Senate Banking Committee .
`` Senator McConnell and the president have refused to raise the minimum wage , it 's been stuck for 11 years at under eight dollars , '' Brown said .
`` They took away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans because of truncating the overtime rule , tax cuts for the rich , and now tax cuts for Medicare . ''
The senator 's statement resembles a 2008 comment by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama .
An Ohio plumber named Joe Wurzelbacher asked Obama whether his taxes would increase after purchasing a business that made more than $ 250,000 .
Obama told Wurzelbacher a tax increase on people like him was a good thing .
He told the Ohio voter , `` I think when you spread the wealth around , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like that of presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) also call for wealth redistribution .
Sanders has campaigned in support of Medicare for All , which would increase taxes for the wealthy and the middle class .

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) on Wednesday said Congress is not doing its job of redistributing income in a fair way.
"We know Congress isn't doing its job to redistribute income in any way that's fair to hundreds of millions of Americans, we know that," Brown said during a hearing at the Senate Banking Committee.
"Senator McConnell and the president have refused to raise the minimum wage, it's been stuck for 11 years at under eight dollars," Brown said. "They took away overtime for about 2 or 3 million Americans because of truncating the overtime rule, tax cuts for the rich, and now tax cuts for Medicare."
The senator's statement resembles a 2008 comment by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. An Ohio plumber named Joe Wurzelbacher asked Obama whether his taxes would increase after purchasing a business that made more than $250,000. Obama told Wurzelbacher a tax increase on people like him was a good thing. He told the Ohio voter, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
Policy agendas like that of presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) also call for wealth redistribution. Sanders has campaigned in support of Medicare for All, which would increase taxes for the wealthy and the middle class.


freebeacon--2020-02-12--Dems Want Local Mayor to Resign for Calling Ilhan Omar ‘Anti-Semitic Socialist’

A local Democratic party is demanding a Florida mayor resign after he called Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D. , Minn. ) an `` anti-Semitic socialist '' in a campaign advertisement .
`` Yep , that 's me giving Ilhan Omar the key to the city .
I did n't know her politics then , nor that she is an anti-Semitic socialist , '' mayor and congressional candidate Randy Henderson says in the advertisement .
`` Watching that now makes me sick .
I 've had to show respect to all kinds of people as mayor .
I even had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm done playing nice with people who wo n't show respect to President Trump . ''
Henderson , the mayor of Fort Myers , is running to replace retiring Rep. Francis Rooney ( R. , Fla. ) .
The chairwoman of the Lee County Democrats called on Henderson to resign from the mayorship , calling the advertisement inappropriate and shocking .
`` As mayor of Fort Myers , I have relied on conservative principles to oversee our booming city , '' Henderson says in the ad .
`` I 'm running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more radicals in Congress pushing partisan impeachment . ''
`` If you send me to Congress , I 'll represent your values , be an ally to President Trump , and I 'll get that key back , '' Henderson says .
Henderson gave Omar an honorary key to the city before she was a member of Congress .
The African Network of Southwest Florida requested Henderson give Omar a key to the city when she visited as a guest of the group .
Henderson 's campaign defended the ad , saying a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` As the liberal mob continues to distort the facts and manufactures false stories , the people of Fort Myers know that Mayor Henderson will never stop fighting against the socialism and anti-Semitism that is being peddled by Ilhan Omar and her supporters , '' a campaign spokesman told the News-Press .
Henderson may have to resign from the mayorship regardless of Democratic backlash to the ad because of Florida 's `` resign to run '' law .
The organization StopAntiSemitism.org named Omar the 2019 `` Anti-Semite of the Year . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she perpetuated anti-Semitic tropes on Twitter to nearly two million followers and introduced an anti-Semitic resolution in Congress that promoted boycotts of the State of Israel and likened them to boycotts of Nazi Germany , '' the organization said in a statement .
Omar 's history of offensive comments includes references to Israel hypnotizing the world .
She also suggested criticisms of her resulted from the anti-Semitic `` dual-loyalty '' trope and tweeted that pro-Israel politicians were being paid off by a pro-Israel lobbying group .
Omar said she does not regret @ @ @

A local Democratic party is demanding a Florida mayor resign after he called Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) an "anti-Semitic socialist" in a campaign advertisement.
"Yep, that's me giving Ilhan Omar the key to the city. I didn't know her politics then, nor that she is an anti-Semitic socialist," mayor and congressional candidate Randy Henderson says in the advertisement. "Watching that now makes me sick. I've had to show respect to all kinds of people as mayor. I even had to welcome Bill Clinton to town. But I'm done playing nice with people who won't show respect to President Trump."
Henderson, the mayor of Fort Myers, is running to replace retiring Rep. Francis Rooney (R., Fla.). The chairwoman of the Lee County Democrats called on Henderson to resign from the mayorship, calling the advertisement inappropriate and shocking.
"As mayor of Fort Myers, I have relied on conservative principles to oversee our booming city," Henderson says in the ad. "I'm running for Congress because President Trump doesn't need more radicals in Congress pushing partisan impeachment."
"If you send me to Congress, I'll represent your values, be an ally to President Trump, and I'll get that key back," Henderson says.
Henderson gave Omar an honorary key to the city before she was a member of Congress. The African Network of Southwest Florida requested Henderson give Omar a key to the city when she visited as a guest of the group.
Henderson's campaign defended the ad, saying a "liberal mob" was distorting facts.
"As the liberal mob continues to distort the facts and manufactures false stories, the people of Fort Myers know that Mayor Henderson will never stop fighting against the socialism and anti-Semitism that is being peddled by Ilhan Omar and her supporters," a campaign spokesman told the News-Press.
Henderson may have to resign from the mayorship regardless of Democratic backlash to the ad because of Florida's "resign to run" law.
The organization StopAntiSemitism.org named Omar the 2019 "Anti-Semite of the Year."
"Among Rep. Ilhan Omar's transgressions, she perpetuated anti-Semitic tropes on Twitter to nearly two million followers and introduced an anti-Semitic resolution in Congress that promoted boycotts of the State of Israel and likened them to boycotts of Nazi Germany," the organization said in a statement.
Omar's history of offensive comments includes references to Israel hypnotizing the world. She also suggested criticisms of her resulted from the anti-Semitic "dual-loyalty" trope and tweeted that pro-Israel politicians were being paid off by a pro-Israel lobbying group.
Omar said she does not regret her comments.


Beacon Extra

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GIVE ‘ EM HELL , HUNTER !
… `` Where ’ s Hunter ?
Until Recently , On the Board of the Left ’ s Premier National Security Network , '' by WFB ’ s Eliana Johnson : If Joe Biden 's presidential campaign collapses in the coming weeks , as looks increasingly likely , it will be in part because of stories like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into his father 's term as vice president , Hunter Biden was appointed by the Truman National Security Project , a left-leaning foreign policy network , to its board of directors .
The younger Biden was , at the time , one of just six members of the governing board , where he served alongside the organization 's founder and CEO , Rachel Kleinfeld , and a handful of corporate leaders .
He had no obvious qualifications for the position .
ALL BETS ARE OFF … `` Nevada Union Targets Sanders , Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Yuichiro Kakutani : Nevada ’ s most powerful union is attacking Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) over his support for Medicare for All , as the Vermont socialist attempts to build off of his victory in the New Hampshire primary .
The Culinary Union , the state 's largest union and a key driver of the Democrats ' 2016 victories in Nevada , is warning over 50,000 hospitality workers that the Medicare for All plans backed by Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits .
TOUGH CROWD … `` Tom Perez Gets Earful on Superdelegates at Congressional Progressive Caucus Meeting , '' via INTERCEPT : Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez met privately on Tuesday with members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus … The conversation came in the wake of progressive frustration over the Iowa Democratic Party ’ s handling of the caucuses last week … The role of American oligarch Mike Bloomberg in the race also came up in the meeting .
Rep. Rashida Tlaib , D-Mich. , asked Perez what procedures he had in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the officials he names to key Democratic National Convention committees .
TURN OUT THE LIGHTS … `` Joe Biden ’ s Campaign About Nothing , '' via POLITICO : Bidenspeak has proved to be [ a ] colossal failure , imparting no punch , either literal or serious , on Democratic voters eager for a uniting figure .
Despite his name recognition , pedigree , legislative acumen , and campaign cash , Biden finished near the New Hampshire cellar … with one of the drabbest , most purposeless campaigns since Harold Stassen flew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DEFENSE … `` Dems Want Local Mayor to Resign for Calling Ilhan Omar ‘ Anti-Semitic Socialist ’ , '' by WFB ’ s Graham Piro : `` Yep , that 's me giving Ilhan Omar the key to the city .
I did n't know her politics then , nor that she is an anti-Semitic socialist , '' mayor and congressional candidate Randy Henderson says in the advertisement .
`` Watching that now makes me sick . ''
… The chairwoman of the Lee County Democrats called on Henderson to resign from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shocking .
DARE TO DREAM … `` Moderate Democrats Fear Bernie Sanders Could Cost Them the House , '' via NYT : Few are eager to publicly articulate their fears of a Sanders nomination , reluctant to call attention to the divisions within their party or risk alienating a potential nominee , but several of them privately described a sense of foreboding that has set in over the past two weeks as Sanders has emerged as the top finisher in the first two contests of the Democratic race .
`` There is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the front lines that we will not only lose the White House but the House of Representatives , '' one of them said in an interview , insisting on anonymity .
NEWSFLASH : KILLING TERRORISTS POPULAR … `` Poll : Majority of Swing State Voters Approve of Trump ’ s Killing of Soleimani , '' by WFB ’ s Adam Kredo : While 2020 Democratic presidential contenders have largely criticized the decision to take out [ Qassem ] Soleimani , a majority of voters in Florida , North Carolina , Ohio , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they backed the Trump administration 's action , according to a poll conducted by the America First Action PAC , a pro-Trump organization led by Linda McMahon .
UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES … `` Education Department Investigating Harvard , Yale Over Foreign Funding , '' via WSJ : The Education Department opened investigations into Harvard and Yale as part of a continuing review that has found U.S. universities failed to report at least $ 6.5 billion in foreign funding from countries such as China and Saudi Arabia , according to department materials viewed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` NYT Writer Accuses Dem Rep of Being Bought by Bloomberg , '' by WFB ’ s Cameron Cawthorne : New York Times columnist Charles Blow on Wednesday accused Rep. Lucy McBath ( D. , Ga. ) of being bought for her endorsement of Michael Bloomberg for president .
`` Everyone has a price .
EVERYONE , '' Blow said in a now-deleted tweet .
CHASER … `` Bloomberg Gave a Liberal Group $ 5 Million .
Its Political Director Just Called Him a ‘ True Terrorist ’ Over Stop and Frisk.
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A top official for a liberal group that last year received a $ 5 million donation from Michael Bloomberg recently called the billionaire Democratic presidential candidate a `` true terrorist . ''
Andre Fields is the political director for Fair Fight Action , a voting rights focused group launched by failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams .
JUSTICE FOR JUICY … `` New Smollett indictment may shape Cook County State ’ s Attorney ’ s race , '' via WGN : Last year , [ Jussie ] Smollett claimed he was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but then he was charged after police said he paid two brothers to stage the attack .
Three weeks later , Cook County state 's attorney Kim Foxx dropped the charges .
Foxx ’ s campaign is questioning the timing of the indictment [ by the special prosecutor ] , saying it feels like a politicization of the justice system … It was revealed [ Foxx ] had contact with a Smollett relative and former aide to Michelle Obama while the case was active .
GO TO CLASS … `` Student Activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Matthew Pinna for the WFB : Students affiliated with the University of Chicago ’ s chapter of IfNotNow … briefly gathered outside the school 's main administration building on Monday to call for the full disclosure of the university ’ s investments in Israel … The new campaign is representative of broadening anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses , where the Boycott , Divestment , and Sanctions movement , which aims to economically isolate the world ’ s only Jewish state over its alleged human rights violations , has gained traction .
WE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Liberal Groups and High-Powered Lawyers Swarm Detroit to Keep Dead Voters on Rolls , '' by WFB ’ s Joe Schoffstall : Liberal groups and high-powered New York attorneys swooped into Detroit this week to help the city fight a lawsuit over its voter roll irregularities , which included thousands of deceased individuals appearing on the rolls .
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 4 .
Welcome back , Joe !
`` You know who really doesn ’ t have it ?
Joe Biden . ''
—Former President Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon’s morning newsletter, your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom. To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning, sign up here.
MENSHEVIKS PREPARE FOR LAST STAND … "Democratic Leaders Willing to Risk Party Damage to Stop Bernie Sanders," via NYT: Since Mr. Sanders’s victory in Nevada’s caucuses on Saturday, the Times has interviewed 93 party officials—all of them superdelegates … and found overwhelming opposition to handing the Vermont senator the nomination if he arrived with the most delegates but fell short of a majority …
Since Mr. Sanders won Nevada’s caucuses on Saturday, four donors have approached former representative Steve Israel of New York to ask if he can suggest someone to run a super PAC aimed at blocking Mr. Sanders. He declined their offer.
THE NEW NEW DEMOCRATS … "2020 Dem Plans Reflect Party of the ‘Professional Class’," by WFB’s Charles Fain Lehman: The [Manhattan Institute] report examines the distributive impacts of major proposals, including Medicare for All, student debt forgiveness, and the repeal of key components of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). It argues that while Democratic candidates talk big about supporting workers and the poor, these programs primarily serve the interests of the wealthy …
Long branded as representatives of the working class, the Democratic Party has come to appeal primarily to the college-educated, often affluent residents of urban America, data indicate.
MIKE GOT IT DONE … "Bloomberg Locked Up Nearly Half a Million People on Marijuana Charges," by WFB’s Yuichiro Kakutani: The administrations of [Michael] Bloomberg's three predecessors … collectively arrested 226,000 people, or 25 people daily, for the same charge over a 24-year period between 1978 and 2001. During Bloomberg's tenure, approximately 471,000 people were arrested on possession charges …
The possession arrests for Bloomberg's tenure peaked in 2011 when the police hauled in more than 50,000 New Yorkers.
DOWNLOAD UNAVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN … "Coming to a podcast near you: Hillary Clinton," via POLITICO: The former first lady, secretary of State, and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee is planning to launch a new audio program in late spring, just in time for her to have a powerful new megaphone during the 2020 election …
Clinton’s show will feature her in conversation with a brand-name guest, who might be drawn from world leaders and politicians, of course, but also celebrities, authors and perhaps famous chefs.
BOOK THROWN … "Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh sentenced to 3 years for ‘Healthy Holly’ children’s book fraud scheme," via BALTIMORE SUN: [Pugh] told reporters: "This is not the last you’ll see of Catherine Pugh" …
Pugh’s political fall began in March when the Baltimore Sun revealed she had entered into a no-bid deal with the University of Maryland Medical System, where Pugh sat on the board of directors, to buy 100,000 copies of her sloppily self-published "Healthy Holly" books for $500,000.
YANG HOLDS OUT FOR BETTER OFFER … "Michael Bloomberg’s Campaign Sought Andrew Yang’s Backing, Floated Vice- Presidential Slot," via WSJ: Aides to the former New York City mayor reached out to discuss ways the two entrepreneurs-turned-politicians could work together as Mr. Bloomberg seeks the Democratic nomination, these people said.
Mr. Yang, who dropped out of the race earlier this month, didn’t commit to join forces, as he considers his own political future, a third person familiar with the discussions said.
NO SURRENDER … "Congressional Republicans Warn Trump Against Inking Peace Deal With Taliban," by WFB’s Adam Kredo: The lawmakers … are demanding they receive assurances the administration "will not place the security of the American people into the hands of the Taliban" …
The lawmakers are also demanding the release of so-called secret annexes in the draft agreement that they claim establish a set of unknown side deals with the Taliban, a move reminiscent of the Obama administration's secret agreements with Iran when the Iran nuclear deal was being negotiated.
TEHRAN MARY … "Iran Vice President Is One of 7 Officials to Contract Coronavirus," via NYT: The disclosure came a day after a cabinet meeting in which she was in close contact with other government leaders, including [Hassan] Rouhani. A photo posted by a BBC Persia reporter on Twitter showed she had been sitting a few yards from the president.
[Masoumeh] Ebtekar, one of four vice presidents, was known to Americans as "Mary" during the Tehran hostage crisis four decades ago, when, as a young revolutionary, she was a spokeswoman for the captors of the 52 Americans held at the United States Embassy.
PICTURE OF COWARDICE … "Sony World Photography Awards Removes Hong Kong Protest Images," via HYPERALLERGIC: Since pro-democracy protests prompted by the Hong Kong government’s now-scrapped extradition bill erupted across the city in spring 2019, China has tightened its grip on the media …
Now, some speculate WPO yielded to pressure from China to take down the photographs, especially because other entries featuring arguably graphic or politically sensitive content have not faced a similar fate in past competitions.
THE REAL VICTIMS … "Mark Halperin Says Murderers Are Treated More Fairly Than Canceled People," via MOTHER JONES: "I haven’t had a job interview in two years," Halperin said, adding that he has applied to work at restaurants and Target, trying to get health insurance for his three-year-old son …
When [asked to] differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate ways that he had been held accountable for his behavior … he said victims deserve "top priority" but complained again that there isn’t a mechanism for reintegrating canceled people.
THIS IS CNN … "Sasse Criticizes CNN for Referring to a Baby as a ‘Fetus That Was Born’," via CNN: "The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is about babies who have already been born," [Sen. Ben] Sasse said to the Washington Free Beacon. "I’m glad CNN finally made the correction, but there’s no reason this needed to take two days. Planned Parenthood desperately wants to misrepresent this bipartisan, pro-babies bill, and unfortunately too many reporters have bought their spin hook, line, and sinker."
PUNK IS DEAD … "Billy Idol is helping de Blasio take on idling cars in new campaign," via NY POST: Billy Idol has a new Rebel Yell: helping Mayor Bill de Blasio fight fume-spewing vehicles that idle on Big Apple streets …
The campaign will also publicize the city’s 2018 "Citizens Air Complaint Program," where individuals who see a bus or delivery truck idling for longer than four minutes can file a complaint and collect a 25 percent bounty off the fine, worth $87.50.
"The First Postmodern Pandemic," via WFB’s Matthew Continetti: We were better off when the media focused on impeachment. Now that it is interested in coronavirus, a familiar pattern will set in. Data will be publicized without the slightest sense of proportion. The most outrageous scenarios will receive the most attention. Speculation will be paraded as fact …
The Washington Post transcribes Democratic Party talking points when it suggests Vice President Mike Pence is incapable of overseeing the government's efforts because he opposes needle-sharing programs. Among the reasons [President Donald] Trump is said to have weakened public health? He defunded Planned Parenthood.
Thanks for reading! Send tips to rutz@freebeacon.com.


Beacon Extra 2/12/20

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon ’ s morning newsletter , your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom .
To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning , sign up here .
`` RED SCARE : Bernie Sanders Wins New Hampshire , Takes Control of Democratic Party , '' by WFB ’ s Andrew Stiles : Sanders 's strong performance , on the heels of a ( sort of ) victory in the disastrous Iowa caucus , makes him the prohibitive favorite to win the nomination of a party to which he does n't belong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skeptical of his socialist bravado … Speaking of failed predictions , as recently as October 2019 , betting markets considered [ Elizabeth ] Warren a 52.5 percent favorite to win the Democratic nomination .
Today that number sits at just 3.8 percent .
Donald Trump , among others , took notice .
`` Elizabeth Warren , sometimes referred to as Pocahontas , is having a really bad night , '' the president tweeted .
He was n't wrong .
DO NOT RESUSCITATE … `` Biden looks to S.C. to revive faltering campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as certain , '' via WAPO : `` Black voters in South Carolina really like Joe Biden , trust Joe Biden and respect Joe Biden , '' said Steve Benjamin , the mayor of Columbia and a Bloomberg supporter .
`` But they are pragmatic and want to win and beat Trump .
If your number one argument is electability , and you can ’ t crack the top four in two or three states in a row , that ’ s a tough argument to make . ''
HE PAID RETAIL … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Them In Congress .
Now , They ’ re Endorsing Him.
, '' via HUFFPOST : In the 2018 midterms , when [ Rep. Harley ] Rouda was locked in one of the most contested elections in the country , Bloomberg spent $ 4.5 million of his vast personal fortune on ads thrumming Rouda ’ s Republican opponent .
Now , Rouda is in Congress—and one of three members who endorsed Bloomberg after a super PAC financed by Bloomberg spent millions of dollars to help elect them , records reviewed by HuffPost show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … `` Pro-Biden Super PAC Warns Of ‘ Doomsday Scenario ' For Democrats , '' via FOX NEWS : A super PAC supporting former vice president Joe Biden ’ s White House bid is urging donors to `` dig deep right now '' into their pockets and is warning that if Biden ’ s campaign collapses , Democrats could face `` a doomsday scenario '' … The memo , written by Unite the Country treasurer Larry Rasky , argues that the `` [ Bernie ] Sanders- [ Elizabeth ] Warren wing of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Bloomberg fight .
Democrats can not afford a split Convention . ''
FROM WAR PATH TO NARROW PATH … `` Warren , In New Memo , Outlines Her Path And Rivals ’ Flaws , '' via NYT : The nearly 2,000-word memo describes a `` volatile and unpredictable '' 2020 race that they expect to remain muddled through Super Tuesday in early March and outlines her path despite a disappointing third-place finish in Iowa and [ fourth-place finish in ] New Hampshire on Tuesday … There is a long history of candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential nominating calendar predicting comebacks that never materialize .
CALIFORNIA EAST … `` Virginia House Dems Pass ‘ Assault Weapons ’ Ban , Magazine Confiscation , '' by WFB ’ s Stephen Gutowski : The bill would outlaw new sales of some of the country 's most popular firearms , including the AR-15 .
It would also make possession of ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 12 rounds punishable by up to one year in prison even if the magazines were legally purchased … It is the most controversial measure Democratic lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have advanced since taking control of both houses of the state legislature in November .
SAY NO TO THAT CHICOM CASH … `` U.S. Officials Say Huawei Can Covertly Access Telecom Networks , '' via WSJ : U.S. officials say Huawei Technologies Co. can covertly access mobile-phone networks around the world through `` back doors '' designed for use by law enforcement , as Washington tries to persuade allies to exclude the Chinese company from their networks .
Intelligence shows Huawei has had this secret capability for more than a decade , U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
SCORPION MAKES PROPOSAL TO FROG … `` Afghan president says Pompeo reports progress in U.S.-Taliban talks , '' via REUTERS : In a post on Twitter , [ Afghan president Ashraf ] Ghani wrote that [ Secretary of State Mike ] Pompeo had informed him in a telephone call that the Taliban had made a proposal `` with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in violence . ''
Ghani ’ s tweet indicated a possible breakthrough in talks between U.S. and Taliban negotiators , who have been deadlocked in part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree to significantly reduce violence as part of any American troop withdrawal accord .
GOOGLE CENKS STREET CRED … `` Google Provides Six-Figure Sum to Liberal Outlet With History of Genocide Denial , '' by WFB ’ s Alex Griswold : Google gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Young Turks as others have distanced themselves from the progressive YouTube series over its founder 's denials of the Armenian genocide and other offensive comments … The Armenian National Committee of America ( ANCA ) , one of the leading U.S. organizations lobbying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed displeasure with Google 's decision to fund the Young Turks .
SO THIRSTY … `` MSNBC Anchors Praise Warren for Still Taking Pictures After Losing in NH , '' by WFB ’ s Cameron Cawthorne : `` This is awesome , '' anchor Rachel Maddow said .
[ Brian ] Williams said Warren was `` still at work '' as MSNBC aired live pictures of her being photographed with some supporters on a night when she will not be receiving any delegates .
`` She 's a really , really , really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wallace added .
JUSTICE FOR JUICY … `` Jussie Smollett Has Been Charged — Again — Over His Alleged Fake Attack , '' via BUZZFEED : Almost a year after charges were dropped against Empire star Jussie Smollett , the actor was charged once again on Tuesday in connection to the allegedly false police report he filed last year , insisting he was attacked by two men in Chicago .
Cook County special prosecutor Dan Webb , who was appointed by a judge last year to reevaluate the circumstances around the Smollett case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a grand jury with six counts of disorderly conduct for making false reports to police .
POLITICAL TERRORIST SEEKS MEDIA COVERAGE … `` Man Who Attacked Florida GOP Volunteers Told Police He Didn ’ t Like Trump , '' by WFB ’ s Brent Scher : The man who deliberately crashed his van into a Republican voter registration tent in Jacksonville admitted to authorities that he `` does not like Donald Trump , '' according to a redacted copy of the Jacksonville Sheriff 's Office report .
The driver , Gregory Timm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ram his vehicle through the Duval County Republican Party 's tent after noticing it on a trip to Walmart … The incident has only been covered a handful of times on CNN and MSNBC since it occurred Sunday , according to a Tuesday afternoon Washington Free Beacon analysis .
BITING THE HAND … `` Bloomberg Gave a Liberal Group $ 5 Million .
Its Political Director Just Called Him a ‘ True Terrorist ’ Over Stop and Frisk.
, '' by WFB ’ s Brent Scher : A top official for a liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 million donation from Michael Bloomberg recently called the billionaire Democratic presidential candidate a `` true terrorist . ''
Andre Fields is the political director for Fair Fight Action , a voting rights focused group launched by failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams .
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 3 .
Welcome back , Joe !
`` You know who really doesn ’ t have it ?
Joe Biden . ''
—Former President Barack Obama Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon’s morning newsletter, your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom. To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning, sign up here.
"RED SCARE: Bernie Sanders Wins New Hampshire, Takes Control of Democratic Party," by WFB’s Andrew Stiles: Sanders's strong performance, on the heels of a (sort of) victory in the disastrous Iowa caucus, makes him the prohibitive favorite to win the nomination of a party to which he doesn't belong, with an establishment wing that remains highly skeptical of his socialist bravado …
Speaking of failed predictions, as recently as October 2019, betting markets considered [Elizabeth] Warren a 52.5 percent favorite to win the Democratic nomination. Today that number sits at just 3.8 percent. Donald Trump, among others, took notice. "Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas, is having a really bad night," the president tweeted. He wasn't wrong.
DO NOT RESUSCITATE … "Biden looks to S.C. to revive faltering campaign, but success there is no longer seen as certain," via WAPO: "Black voters in South Carolina really like Joe Biden, trust Joe Biden and respect Joe Biden," said Steve Benjamin, the mayor of Columbia and a Bloomberg supporter. "But they are pragmatic and want to win and beat Trump. If your number one argument is electability, and you can’t crack the top four in two or three states in a row, that’s a tough argument to make."
HE PAID RETAIL … "Mike Bloomberg Spent Millions To Put Them In Congress. Now, They’re Endorsing Him.," via HUFFPOST: In the 2018 midterms, when [Rep. Harley] Rouda was locked in one of the most contested elections in the country, Bloomberg spent $4.5 million of his vast personal fortune on ads thrumming Rouda’s Republican opponent.
Now, Rouda is in Congress—and one of three members who endorsed Bloomberg after a super PAC financed by Bloomberg spent millions of dollars to help elect them, records reviewed by HuffPost show.
REMAIN CALM, ALL IS WELL … "Pro-Biden Super PAC Warns Of 'Doomsday Scenario' For Democrats," via FOX NEWS: A super PAC supporting former vice president Joe Biden’s White House bid is urging donors to "dig deep right now" into their pockets and is warning that if Biden’s campaign collapses, Democrats could face "a doomsday scenario" …
The memo, written by Unite the Country treasurer Larry Rasky, argues that the "[Bernie] Sanders-[Elizabeth] Warren wing of the Party is ready for the [Mike] Bloomberg fight. Democrats cannot afford a split Convention."
FROM WAR PATH TO NARROW PATH … "Warren, In New Memo, Outlines Her Path And Rivals’ Flaws," via NYT: The nearly 2,000-word memo describes a "volatile and unpredictable" 2020 race that they expect to remain muddled through Super Tuesday in early March and outlines her path despite a disappointing third-place finish in Iowa and [fourth-place finish in] New Hampshire on Tuesday …
There is a long history of candidates who lose the early states in the presidential nominating calendar predicting comebacks that never materialize.
CALIFORNIA EAST … "Virginia House Dems Pass ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban, Magazine Confiscation," by WFB’s Stephen Gutowski: The bill would outlaw new sales of some of the country's most popular firearms, including the AR-15. It would also make possession of ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 12 rounds punishable by up to one year in prison even if the magazines were legally purchased …
It is the most controversial measure Democratic lawmakers and Governor Ralph Northam (D.) have advanced since taking control of both houses of the state legislature in November.
SAY NO TO THAT CHICOM CASH … "U.S. Officials Say Huawei Can Covertly Access Telecom Networks," via WSJ: U.S. officials say Huawei Technologies Co. can covertly access mobile-phone networks around the world through "back doors" designed for use by law enforcement, as Washington tries to persuade allies to exclude the Chinese company from their networks.
Intelligence shows Huawei has had this secret capability for more than a decade, U.S. officials said. Huawei rejected the allegations.
SCORPION MAKES PROPOSAL TO FROG … "Afghan president says Pompeo reports progress in U.S.-Taliban talks," via REUTERS: In a post on Twitter, [Afghan president Ashraf] Ghani wrote that [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo had informed him in a telephone call that the Taliban had made a proposal "with regards to bringing a significant and enduring reduction in violence."
Ghani’s tweet indicated a possible breakthrough in talks between U.S. and Taliban negotiators, who have been deadlocked in part over a U.S. demand that the insurgents agree to significantly reduce violence as part of any American troop withdrawal accord.
GOOGLE CENKS STREET CRED … "Google Provides Six-Figure Sum to Liberal Outlet With History of Genocide Denial," by WFB’s Alex Griswold: Google gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Young Turks as others have distanced themselves from the progressive YouTube series over its founder's denials of the Armenian genocide and other offensive comments …
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), one of the leading U.S. organizations lobbying for Armenian genocide awareness and recognition, expressed displeasure with Google's decision to fund the Young Turks.
SO THIRSTY … "MSNBC Anchors Praise Warren for Still Taking Pictures After Losing in NH," by WFB’s Cameron Cawthorne: "This is awesome," anchor Rachel Maddow said.
[Brian] Williams said Warren was "still at work" as MSNBC aired live pictures of her being photographed with some supporters on a night when she will not be receiving any delegates.
"She's a really, really, really good candidate," MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace added.
JUSTICE FOR JUICY … "Jussie Smollett Has Been Charged — Again — Over His Alleged Fake Attack," via BUZZFEED: Almost a year after charges were dropped against Empire star Jussie Smollett, the actor was charged once again on Tuesday in connection to the allegedly false police report he filed last year, insisting he was attacked by two men in Chicago.
Cook County special prosecutor Dan Webb, who was appointed by a judge last year to reevaluate the circumstances around the Smollett case, announced the actor had been charged by a grand jury with six counts of disorderly conduct for making false reports to police.
POLITICAL TERRORIST SEEKS MEDIA COVERAGE … "Man Who Attacked Florida GOP Volunteers Told Police He Didn’t Like Trump," by WFB’s Brent Scher: The man who deliberately crashed his van into a Republican voter registration tent in Jacksonville admitted to authorities that he "does not like Donald Trump," according to a redacted copy of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report.
The driver, Gregory Timm, told police that he decided to ram his vehicle through the Duval County Republican Party's tent after noticing it on a trip to Walmart …
The incident has only been covered a handful of times on CNN and MSNBC since it occurred Sunday, according to a Tuesday afternoon Washington Free Beacon analysis.
BITING THE HAND … "Bloomberg Gave a Liberal Group $5 Million. Its Political Director Just Called Him a ‘True Terrorist’ Over Stop and Frisk.," by WFB’s Brent Scher: A top official for a liberal group that last year received a $5 million donation from Michael Bloomberg recently called the billionaire Democratic presidential candidate a "true terrorist."
Andre Fields is the political director for Fair Fight Action, a voting rights focused group launched by failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW: 3. Welcome back, Joe!
"You know who really doesn’t have it? Joe Biden." —Former President Barack Obama
Thanks for reading! Send tips to rutz@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-02-14--‘South Bend Needs a Do-Over’: City Councilman Blasts Former Mayor Pete

South Bend , Ind.
, city councilman Henry Davis Jr. on Thursday accused presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg of making life worse for African-American residents as the city 's mayor .
`` It just has not been a good ride .
South Bend needs a do-over , '' Davis said during a Democracy Now !
interview .
Davis criticized Buttigieg 's handling of the shooting of Eric Logan , a black resident , and the demotion of Darryl Boykins , South Bend 's first black police chief .
`` He did n't handle it .
And if he did handle it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Davis said .
Highlighting problems with the police force , housing , schools , and more , Davis warned viewers about letting Buttigieg move up from the South Bend mayoralty to the White House .
`` This is not a student-council race , this is for the presidency of the United States of America , '' he said .
Davis said Buttigieg `` chose not to deal with '' issues facing African-American residents of South Bend .
`` You 're talking about double-digit unemployment .
You 're talking about a very high poverty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're talking about high crime .
You 're talking about schools shutting down and closing , '' he said .
Davis also detailed how Buttigieg 's `` a thousand houses in a thousand days '' program led to houses being demolished without adequate replacements or even any plan for what to do with the resulting blight .
`` Some of those homes did n't need to come down , '' Davis said .
`` There was no affordable housing program that came behind it .
And so , now we 're still dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a lot of varmints that are living in those empty lots . ''
These comments about Buttigieg come as the former mayor struggles to gain African-American support in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary .
Davis has served as councilman of South Bend 's second ward since 2008 .
Buttigieg served as mayor from 2012 to 2020 .
Buttigieg holds the most delegates in the primary so far , having won the Iowa caucus and finished second in the New Hampshire primary .

South Bend, Ind., city councilman Henry Davis Jr. on Thursday accused presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg of making life worse for African-American residents as the city's mayor.
"It just has not been a good ride. South Bend needs a do-over," Davis said during a Democracy Now! interview.
Davis criticized Buttigieg's handling of the shooting of Eric Logan, a black resident, and the demotion of Darryl Boykins, South Bend's first black police chief.
"He didn't handle it. And if he did handle it, it was a fumble," Davis said.
Highlighting problems with the police force, housing, schools, and more, Davis warned viewers about letting Buttigieg move up from the South Bend mayoralty to the White House.
"This is not a student-council race, this is for the presidency of the United States of America," he said.
Davis said Buttigieg "chose not to deal with" issues facing African-American residents of South Bend.
"You're talking about double-digit unemployment. You're talking about a very high poverty rate, over 40 percent. You're talking about high crime. You're talking about schools shutting down and closing," he said.
Davis also detailed how Buttigieg's "a thousand houses in a thousand days" program led to houses being demolished without adequate replacements or even any plan for what to do with the resulting blight.
"Some of those homes didn't need to come down," Davis said. "There was no affordable housing program that came behind it. And so, now we're still dealing with empty lots, high weeds, and a lot of varmints that are living in those empty lots."
These comments about Buttigieg come as the former mayor struggles to gain African-American support in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. Davis has served as councilman of South Bend's second ward since 2008. Buttigieg served as mayor from 2012 to 2020.
Buttigieg holds the most delegates in the primary so far, having won the Iowa caucus and finished second in the New Hampshire primary.


freebeacon--2020-02-14--MO Ethics Commission Exonerates Former Gov Eric Greitens

Former Missouri governor Eric Greitens was exonerated of campaign finance charges Thursday , ending a 20-month ethics committee investigation .
Greitens faced allegations that he solicited illegal campaign contributions and failed to disclose campaign donors , among other infractions .
After investigating for nearly two years , the Missouri Ethics Commission ( MEC ) released an order Thursday finding `` no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Eric Greitens . ''
`` After a review of the complaint , 235 pages of supporting documentation ; the issuance of 23 subpoenas , which resulted in the production of roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videos ; approximately 20 interviews conducted by Commission investigators , and a review of publicly available documents provided on the Internet by the Federal Election Commission , the Internal Revenue Service , and the Federal Communications Commission , the MEC found no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Eric Greitens , '' the order said .
The decision comes amid mounting speculation that Greitens could return to Missouri politics in 2020 , though the former governor 's supporters have downplayed rumors .
Greitens celebrated the decision in a Thursday statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been vindicated . ''
`` It 's good to have been exonerated , and I 'm glad to have been vindicated , '' Greitens said .
`` I 'm grateful that the truth has won out , but this was never really about me—they launched this attack because we were fighting for the people of Missouri . ''
Greitens resigned from office in June 2018 in the wake of a sex scandal .
The former Navy SEAL was charged with invasion of privacy after a mistress accused him of threatening to blackmail her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tampering related to the alleged campaign finance violations .
Both charges were dropped .
While Greitens has now been cleared of wrongdoing in the ethics investigation , key parties in the criminal case against him are now under investigation themselves .
Before indicting Greitens for invasion of privacy , St. Louis circuit attorney Kim Gardner tapped private investigator William Tisaby to look into the Missouri Republican .
Gardner claims she turned to Tisaby because local police would not investigate Greitens , though the department says it was not asked to .
When Greitens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his legal team documents related to Tisaby 's role in the case .
Tisaby allegedly went on to commit perjury during a March 2018 deposition , where he denied coordination with Gardner 's office .
Tisaby was charged with seven felony counts in June , including perjury and evidence tampering .
Gardner herself is implicated in the investigation—the progressive prosecutor failed to correct or report Tisaby 's inaccuracies in the deposition .
Gardner was elected in 2016 with the help of liberal megadonor George Soros , who contributed more than $ 190,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six liberal prosecutors who received millions from Soros traveled to St. Louis in January to rally in support of Gardner as she testified in court .
Gardner refused to answer many questions from a special prosecutor about her role in the Greitens investigation and will likely return to court .

Ethics Commission 'found no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Eric Greitens'
Former Missouri governor Eric Greitens was exonerated of campaign finance charges Thursday, ending a 20-month ethics committee investigation.
Greitens faced allegations that he solicited illegal campaign contributions and failed to disclose campaign donors, among other infractions. After investigating for nearly two years, the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) released an order Thursday finding "no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Eric Greitens."
"After a review of the complaint, 235 pages of supporting documentation; the issuance of 23 subpoenas, which resulted in the production of roughly 8,000 multi-page documents, emails, and videos; approximately 20 interviews conducted by Commission investigators, and a review of publicly available documents provided on the Internet by the Federal Election Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Communications Commission, the MEC found no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Eric Greitens," the order said.
The decision comes amid mounting speculation that Greitens could return to Missouri politics in 2020, though the former governor's supporters have downplayed rumors.
Greitens celebrated the decision in a Thursday statement, saying he was "glad to have been vindicated."
"It's good to have been exonerated, and I'm glad to have been vindicated," Greitens said. "I'm grateful that the truth has won out, but this was never really about me—they launched this attack because we were fighting for the people of Missouri."
Greitens resigned from office in June 2018 in the wake of a sex scandal. The former Navy SEAL was charged with invasion of privacy after a mistress accused him of threatening to blackmail her. Greitens was also charged with computer tampering related to the alleged campaign finance violations. Both charges were dropped.
While Greitens has now been cleared of wrongdoing in the ethics investigation, key parties in the criminal case against him are now under investigation themselves.
Before indicting Greitens for invasion of privacy, St. Louis circuit attorney Kim Gardner tapped private investigator William Tisaby to look into the Missouri Republican. Gardner claims she turned to Tisaby because local police would not investigate Greitens, though the department says it was not asked to. When Greitens was charged, Gardner refused to give his legal team documents related to Tisaby's role in the case. Tisaby allegedly went on to commit perjury during a March 2018 deposition, where he denied coordination with Gardner's office.
Tisaby was charged with seven felony counts in June, including perjury and evidence tampering. Gardner herself is implicated in the investigation—the progressive prosecutor failed to correct or report Tisaby's inaccuracies in the deposition.
Gardner was elected in 2016 with the help of liberal megadonor George Soros, who contributed more than $190,000 to back her campaign. A group of six liberal prosecutors who received millions from Soros traveled to St. Louis in January to rally in support of Gardner as she testified in court. Gardner refused to answer many questions from a special prosecutor about her role in the Greitens investigation and will likely return to court.