freebeacon--2020-01-29--Collins Upends Georgia Senate Race With Plans to Challenge Loeffler

The entry of staunch White House ally Rep. Doug Collins ( R. , Ga. ) into the Georgia Senate special election throws a wrench into what will already be a wild year in state politics .
Collins officially announced his bid Wednesday to challenge Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R. , Ga. ) , who 's less than a month into her tenure after Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R. ) appointed her to fill retired senator Johnny Isakson 's ( R. ) seat .
Kemp tapped Loeffler , a wealthy conservative businesswoman and political novice , in spite of President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the top House Judiciary Committee Republican and the face of Trump 's defense during televised impeachment hearings .
Georgia Democrats are hopeful about splitting the GOP vote and winning Loeffler 's seat , but a Georgia Republican operative told the Washington Free Beacon the situation for Republicans is not as dire as it might appear .
`` I think it adds a lot of complications and that 's the real downside for Republicans here , '' he said .
`` I do n't think it 's a disaster across the ticket .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and convince skeptical Trump supporters that she 's on board with the White House , saying the day of her appointment she was `` pro-Second Amendment , pro-military , pro-wall , and pro-Trump . ''
She 's blasted Democrats for impeaching Trump , cutting an ad against impeachment on Jan. 17 as part of a $ 2.6 million buy to introduce herself to Georgians .
She also bashed Sen. Mitt Romney ( R. , Utah ) , to whom she donated more than $ 750,000 in 2012 , over his call for witnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sadly , my colleague @ SenatorRomney wants to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @ realDonaldTrump during their 15 minutes of fame .
The circus is over .
It 's time to move on ! ''
Loeffler tweeted Monday .
Trump 's endorsement in the Republican primary propelled Kemp to a landslide win over then-lieutenant governor Casey Cagle .
Kemp went on to narrowly defeat Democrat Stacey Abrams in the general election .
Kemp appointed Loeffler in a bid to appeal to suburban women who have abandoned Republicans in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is facing a test of his political strength after a well-received first year in office .
He could find himself on the other side of a Trump endorsement if the president throws his weight behind Collins .
When an AJC reporter asked Kemp about Collins on Tuesday , the governor `` pursed his lips and shook his head . ''
Collins 's entrance could create a schism in Republican politics , both in Georgia and nationally .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R. , Ky. ) signaled approval for Kemp choosing Loeffler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Senate Leadership Fund announcing they would back her .
She 's pledged to spend a minimum of $ 20 million of her own money on the race .
`` We ca n't allow Democrats to make Georgia a battleground for the Senate majority and the presidential election , '' Senate Leadership Fund president Steven Law said in response to Loeffler 's appointment .
`` Kelly Loeffler has what it takes to hold this seat .
We are excited about Loeffler ’ s candidacy , and if she needs our help , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chair Sen. Todd Young ( R. , Ind . )
told reporters the NRSC is watching the race closely and would support Loeffler .
Asked if Collins 's entry will put the seat in danger , he replied , `` We 're going to hold the seat . ''
Collins will be a formidable opponent if his high-profile allies and strong polling are any indication .
Pro-Trump Fox News host Sean Hannity openly campaigned for Kemp to pick Collins .
Hannity even called the representative `` Senator Collins '' during an interview on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son-in-law Jared Kushner among his advisers , and Donald Trump Jr. headlined a fundraiser for him .
Collins 's central role in the Trump impeachment saga has kept him in the spotlight .
A poll this month from left-leaning Public Policy Polling showed Collins with a 40-point advantage over Loeffler among Georgia Republicans , a testament to both his appeal to the state party 's base and her lack of name ID .
A new AJC poll found 57 percent of all Georgians did n't know enough about Loeffler to form an opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Georgia Senate seat .
If no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote in November , the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff in January 2021 , regardless of party .
Kemp said he will veto a bill pushed by Collins allies in the House to create party primaries for the special election .
Educator Matt Lieberman , son of former senator Joe Lieberman , is already running for Senate on the Democratic side , and former federal prosecutor Ed Tarver said he plans to enter the race .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Atlanta 's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church will likely become the Democratic frontrunner when he announces his expected bid .
In addition to the race for Loeffler 's seat , Sen. David Perdue ( R. , Ga. ) is up for reelection in 2020 , and some Democratic White House contenders are eyeing Georgia as a possible , if unlikely , state to swing from red to blue in the presidential election .
The GOP operative told the Free Beacon the development with Collins could wind up negatively affecting Democrats like Jon Ossoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tough to beat given his solid favorability ratings and a robust Georgia economy .
`` How is Jon Ossoff going to get involved in attacking Senator Perdue when the sexy story right now is Loeffler versus Collins ? ''
he asked .
`` I would just say that it 's pretty clear that 's going to dominate non-Trump political discourse in Georgia for the next 10 months .
The idea that he 's going to be able to get a message out … that 's a big , big question mark .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ article was updated to show Collins had officially entered the race .

The entry of staunch White House ally Rep. Doug Collins (R., Ga.) into the Georgia Senate special election throws a wrench into what will already be a wild year in state politics.
Collins officially announced his bid Wednesday to challenge Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R., Ga.), who's less than a month into her tenure after Gov. Brian Kemp (R.) appointed her to fill retired senator Johnny Isakson's (R.) seat.
Kemp tapped Loeffler, a wealthy conservative businesswoman and political novice, in spite of President Donald Trump's personal lobbying for Collins, the top House Judiciary Committee Republican and the face of Trump's defense during televised impeachment hearings.
Georgia Democrats are hopeful about splitting the GOP vote and winning Loeffler's seat, but a Georgia Republican operative told the Washington Free Beacon the situation for Republicans is not as dire as it might appear.
"I think it adds a lot of complications and that's the real downside for Republicans here," he said. "I don't think it's a disaster across the ticket."
Loeffler attempted to head off Collins and convince skeptical Trump supporters that she's on board with the White House, saying the day of her appointment she was "pro-Second Amendment, pro-military, pro-wall, and pro-Trump."
She's blasted Democrats for impeaching Trump, cutting an ad against impeachment on Jan. 17 as part of a $2.6 million buy to introduce herself to Georgians. She also bashed Sen. Mitt Romney (R., Utah), to whom she donated more than $750,000 in 2012, over his call for witnesses in Trump's impeachment trial.
"Sadly, my colleague @SenatorRomney wants to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @realDonaldTrump during their 15 minutes of fame. The circus is over. It's time to move on!" Loeffler tweeted Monday.
After 2 weeks, it’s clear that Democrats have no case for impeachment. Sadly, my colleague @SenatorRomney wants to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @realDonaldTrump during their 15 minutes of fame. The circus is over. It’s time to move on! #gapol — Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) January 27, 2020
Trump's endorsement in the Republican primary propelled Kemp to a landslide win over then-lieutenant governor Casey Cagle. Kemp went on to narrowly defeat Democrat Stacey Abrams in the general election.
Kemp appointed Loeffler in a bid to appeal to suburban women who have abandoned Republicans in the Trump era.
Now, Kemp is facing a test of his political strength after a well-received first year in office. He could find himself on the other side of a Trump endorsement if the president throws his weight behind Collins. When an AJC reporter asked Kemp about Collins on Tuesday, the governor "pursed his lips and shook his head."
Meanwhile, around the corner @GovKemp was asked for comment about his hand-picked Senate nominee drawing a Republican challenger. He 'pursed his lips and shook his head," @ArielWriter reports. #gapol — Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) January 28, 2020
Collins's entrance could create a schism in Republican politics, both in Georgia and nationally.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) signaled approval for Kemp choosing Loeffler, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Senate Leadership Fund announcing they would back her. She's pledged to spend a minimum of $20 million of her own money on the race.
"We can't allow Democrats to make Georgia a battleground for the Senate majority and the presidential election," Senate Leadership Fund president Steven Law said in response to Loeffler's appointment. "Kelly Loeffler has what it takes to hold this seat. We are excited about Loeffler’s candidacy, and if she needs our help, we’ll be there."
NRSC chair Sen. Todd Young (R., Ind.) told reporters the NRSC is watching the race closely and would support Loeffler. Asked if Collins's entry will put the seat in danger, he replied, "We're going to hold the seat."
Then NRSC chair Todd Young walked out. Asked if Doug Collins challenge to Loeffler concerned him. "It's something we're certainly watching closely. And as you might expect, we'll be supportive" of Loeffler. Does it put the seat in danger? 'We’re going to hold the seat." — Mike Warren (@MichaelRWarren) January 28, 2020
Collins will be a formidable opponent if his high-profile allies and strong polling are any indication. Pro-Trump Fox News host Sean Hannity openly campaigned for Kemp to pick Collins. Hannity even called the representative "Senator Collins" during an interview on Dec. 4.
Collins counts Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner among his advisers, and Donald Trump Jr. headlined a fundraiser for him. Collins's central role in the Trump impeachment saga has kept him in the spotlight.
A poll this month from left-leaning Public Policy Polling showed Collins with a 40-point advantage over Loeffler among Georgia Republicans, a testament to both his appeal to the state party's base and her lack of name ID. A new AJC poll found 57 percent of all Georgians didn't know enough about Loeffler to form an opinion.
GA SEN primary poll (PPP): Rep. Doug Collins: 56%
Sen. Kelly Loeffler: 16%
not sure: 27%https://t.co/3zEMPav4pm — Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) January 7, 2020
There is no single-party primary for the Georgia Senate seat. If no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote in November, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff in January 2021, regardless of party. Kemp said he will veto a bill pushed by Collins allies in the House to create party primaries for the special election.
Educator Matt Lieberman, son of former senator Joe Lieberman, is already running for Senate on the Democratic side, and former federal prosecutor Ed Tarver said he plans to enter the race. However, Abrams ally Rev. Raphael Warnock of Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church will likely become the Democratic frontrunner when he announces his expected bid.
In addition to the race for Loeffler's seat, Sen. David Perdue (R., Ga.) is up for reelection in 2020, and some Democratic White House contenders are eyeing Georgia as a possible, if unlikely, state to swing from red to blue in the presidential election.
The GOP operative told the Free Beacon the development with Collins could wind up negatively affecting Democrats like Jon Ossoff who are challenging Perdue. Perdue will be tough to beat given his solid favorability ratings and a robust Georgia economy.
"How is Jon Ossoff going to get involved in attacking Senator Perdue when the sexy story right now is Loeffler versus Collins?" he asked. "I would just say that it's pretty clear that's going to dominate non-Trump political discourse in Georgia for the next 10 months. The idea that he's going to be able to get a message out ... that's a big, big question mark."
UPDATE: 7:42 A.M.: This article was updated to show Collins had officially entered the race.


Beacon Extra 1/28/20

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 .
IMPEACHMENT UPDATE … Donald J. Trump is still President of the United States .
KULAKS BAND TOGETHER … `` Worried Democratic Operatives Scramble to Fund a Network to Take Down Bernie Sanders , '' via DAILY BEAST : `` It ’ s not any one group of people '' trying to build the anti-Sanders effort , said one of the Democratic sources .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who think he would be very problematic as a nominee .
There is , at this stage , calls to , and conversations with , donors and organizations that might support such an effort .
But as far as I can tell nobody has found sufficient financial support to get it off the ground . ''
The conversations have been driven by fear that Sanders could all but wrap up the nomination early in the campaign without having faced much pushback .
PA DEMS BALK AT ECO SUICIDE PACT … `` In Crucial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Could Sink Them , '' via NYT : `` In Pennsylvania , you ’ re talking hundreds of thousands of related jobs that would be—they would be unemployed overnight , '' said [ Lieutenant Governor John ] Fetterman , who endorsed [ Sen. Bernie Sanders ] in 2016 … `` Pennsylvania is a margin play , '' he added .
`` And an outright ban on fracking isn ’ t a margin play . ''
… [ Pittsburgh mayor Bill ] Peduto said `` the Warren-Sanders , ban-all-fracking-right-now '' position would `` absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pit environmentalists against workers at a time when Democrats need both .
SHOULD HAVE GOOGLED ‘ INCOGNITO MODE ’ … `` Michael Avenatti googled ‘ Nike put options , ' ‘ insider trading ' before allegedly trying to extort $ 25M , '' via FOX BUSINESS : Disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti may have been looking into how to make stock market riches off his alleged attempt to extort up to $ 25 million from the sneaker giant Nike , court papers show … A put option is a contract that gives the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obligation , to sell a security at a specific price by a certain date .
The price at which the security can be sold at is called the `` strike price . ''
It is unclear what strike prices Avenatti was searching , so it can not be determined if they would have panned out .
EATING THEIR OWN … `` John Hickenlooper Goes Face to Face With Environmental Activist in Tense Confrontation , '' via MEDIAITE : `` Can you respond to and also apologize for suing Longmont for family voters trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' asked the activist , as Hickenlooper shouted , `` No , no , no , '' and then shushed the man .
`` Shhh !
Hold on , hold on .
Don ’ t shout at me , don ’ t shout at me , '' Hickenlooper continued , as he moved his face near the face of the activist .
`` Will you listen to me ?
Will you listen to me ? ''
EARTH TO POCAHONTAS … `` Dem Voters Do n't Want to Defund Charter Schools , '' by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Surveying 1,275 likely voters , the poll found that 58 percent of respondents would be less likely to support a candidate who wants to eliminate federal charter school funding .
That figure includes 56 percent of Democratic voters , as well as 62 percent of black respondents and 65 percent of Latino respondents … Sens .
Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
and Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) have sought to differentiate themselves from the pack in their vociferousness for defunding charter schools , a move unlikely to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and file .
KREMLIN LIFELINE LIFTS MADURO … `` How Putin Outfoxed Trump in Venezuela , '' via WSJ : The Trump administration ’ s bid to replace Venezuela ’ s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro hit a roadblock after a meeting with Russian officials in Rome last year—and has never recovered … This month , in a sign of how much the opposition is floundering , Venezuela security forces blocked [ Juan ] Guaidó from entering the National Assembly building , where he was seeking re-election as leader .
Mr. Guaidó , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to scale the spiked iron fence .
GRAND MUFTI OF DETROIT HOLDS FIRM … `` ‘ Vicious Lie ’ : ADL CEO Demands Rashida Tlaib Apologize For Spreading ‘ Blood Libel ’ , '' via DAILY CALLER : Tlaib retweeted an unverified story on Twitter Saturday alleging that `` a Herd of violent # Israeli settlers '' kidnapped , assaulted and threw a 7-year-old Palestinian boy into a well .
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Sunday that Tlaib must apologize for promoting the wild accusation .
`` This is an example of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Greenblatt wrote on Twitter .
PEDO PRINCE STONEWALLS … `` In Epstein investigation , Prince Andrew has provided ‘ zero cooperation ’ to U.S. law enforcement , prosecutor says , '' via WAPO : U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman made the assertion outside of [ Jeffrey ] Epstein ’ s New York City mansion at a news conference meant to raise awareness about a state law that provides a window for those sexually abused as children to sue their abuser even if the statute of limitations has expired … Epstein , a politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and former president Bill Clinton , was arrested in July on federal charges that he abused dozens of young girls at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach , Fla .
THANKS , CHICOMS … `` More than 100 tested for coronavirus in the U.S. ; just 5 cases confirmed so far , CDC says , '' via NBC NEWS : As the coronavirus outbreak rages on in China , at least 110 people in the United States are undergoing testing for the new respiratory illness , the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health risk to the general American public remains low .
`` We 're being aggressive and cautious in tracking those close contacts , '' Messonnier said .
`` So far , we have not seen any human-to-human transmission in the U.S. '' DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS … `` The Post ’ s misguided suspension of Felicia Sonmez over Kobe Bryant tweets , '' via WAPO : The Post has suspended reporter Felicia Sonmez following her social-media activity over the death of NBA great Kobe Bryant .
Here ’ s the explanation from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political reporter Felicia Sonmez was placed on administrative leave while The Post reviews whether tweets about the death of Kobe Bryant violated The Post newsroom ’ s social media policy .
The tweets displayed poor judgment that undermined the work of her colleagues . ''
What did Sonmez do to deserve this brushback ?
She tweeted out a very good story from the Daily Beast .
END OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION … `` Yale Will Eliminate a Beloved Introductory Art Class for Being Too White , Male , and Western , '' via REASON @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the art department has decided that the class might make some students uncomfortable due to the `` overwhelming '' whiteness , maleness , and straightness of the artists who comprise the Western canon ( though that last label may be dubious ) .
Indeed , the focus on Western art is `` problematic , '' course instructor Tim Barringer told the student newspaper … In its final iteration , the course will `` consider art in relation to questions of gender , class , and race and discuss its involvement with Western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ syllabus .
Art 's relationship to climate change will also be a `` key theme . ''
MEANWHILE , AT HARVARD , OUR CHILDREN IS LEARNING … NASTY MAN … `` Bernie the Nasty Campaigner , '' by WFB ’ s Andrew Stiles : As far back as the 1980s , [ Bernie ] Sanders was waging bizarre attacks against Democratic politicians .
In 1986 , while serving as mayor of Burlington , Vt. , Sanders took shots at the state 's first ( and only ) female governor , Madeleine Kunin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He claimed to be a better feminist than I was , '' Kunin said of Sanders during a recent interview .
`` It shocked me at the time . ''
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 1,143 .
Come 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.
IMPEACHMENT UPDATE … Donald J. Trump is still President of the United States.
POLLING UPDATE …
Trump is at 45.5% approval (51.7% disapprove) in RealClearPolitics average this morning, which appears to be highest since early days of his presidency. 538 is 43.1/52.7 (high for that avg too); RCP is just a straight average, 538 is more modeled. — Kyle Kondik (@kkondik) January 27, 2020
KULAKS BAND TOGETHER … "Worried Democratic Operatives Scramble to Fund a Network to Take Down Bernie Sanders," via DAILY BEAST: "It’s not any one group of people" trying to build the anti-Sanders effort, said one of the Democratic sources. "It is a loose network of people who think he would be very problematic as a nominee. There is, at this stage, calls to, and conversations with, donors and organizations that might support such an effort. But as far as I can tell nobody has found sufficient financial support to get it off the ground."
The conversations have been driven by fear that Sanders could all but wrap up the nomination early in the campaign without having faced much pushback.
PA DEMS BALK AT ECO SUICIDE PACT … "In Crucial Pennsylvania, Democrats Worry a Fracking Ban Could Sink Them," via NYT: "In Pennsylvania, you’re talking hundreds of thousands of related jobs that would be—they would be unemployed overnight," said [Lieutenant Governor John] Fetterman, who endorsed [Sen. Bernie Sanders] in 2016 … "Pennsylvania is a margin play," he added. "And an outright ban on fracking isn’t a margin play." …
[Pittsburgh mayor Bill] Peduto said "the Warren-Sanders, ban-all-fracking-right-now" position would "absolutely devastate communities throughout the Rust Belt" and pit environmentalists against workers at a time when Democrats need both.
SHOULD HAVE GOOGLED ‘INCOGNITO MODE’ … "Michael Avenatti googled 'Nike put options,' 'insider trading' before allegedly trying to extort $25M," via FOX BUSINESS: Disgraced attorney Michael Avenatti may have been looking into how to make stock market riches off his alleged attempt to extort up to $25 million from the sneaker giant Nike, court papers show …
A put option is a contract that gives the owner the right, but not the obligation, to sell a security at a specific price by a certain date. The price at which the security can be sold at is called the "strike price." It is unclear what strike prices Avenatti was searching, so it cannot be determined if they would have panned out.
EATING THEIR OWN … "John Hickenlooper Goes Face to Face With Environmental Activist in Tense Confrontation," via MEDIAITE: "Can you respond to and also apologize for suing Longmont for family voters trying to ban fracking in their community?" asked the activist, as Hickenlooper shouted, "No, no, no," and then shushed the man.
"Shhh! Hold on, hold on. Don’t shout at me, don’t shout at me," Hickenlooper continued, as he moved his face near the face of the activist. "Will you listen to me? Will you listen to me?"
EARTH TO POCAHONTAS … "Dem Voters Don't Want to Defund Charter Schools," by WFB’s Charles Fain Lehman: Surveying 1,275 likely voters, the poll found that 58 percent of respondents would be less likely to support a candidate who wants to eliminate federal charter school funding. That figure includes 56 percent of Democratic voters, as well as 62 percent of black respondents and 65 percent of Latino respondents …
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) have sought to differentiate themselves from the pack in their vociferousness for defunding charter schools, a move unlikely to win them praise within the party's rank and file.
KREMLIN LIFELINE LIFTS MADURO … "How Putin Outfoxed Trump in Venezuela," via WSJ: The Trump administration’s bid to replace Venezuela’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro hit a roadblock after a meeting with Russian officials in Rome last year—and has never recovered …
This month, in a sign of how much the opposition is floundering, Venezuela security forces blocked [Juan] Guaidó from entering the National Assembly building, where he was seeking re-election as leader. Mr. Guaidó, in a blue suit, tried and failed to scale the spiked iron fence.
GRAND MUFTI OF DETROIT HOLDS FIRM … "‘Vicious Lie’: ADL CEO Demands Rashida Tlaib Apologize For Spreading ‘Blood Libel’," via DAILY CALLER: Tlaib retweeted an unverified story on Twitter Saturday alleging that "a Herd of violent #Israeli settlers" kidnapped, assaulted and threw a 7-year-old Palestinian boy into a well.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Sunday that Tlaib must apologize for promoting the wild accusation. "This is an example of how the blood libel works in 2020," Greenblatt wrote on Twitter.
PEDO PRINCE STONEWALLS … "In Epstein investigation, Prince Andrew has provided ‘zero cooperation’ to U.S. law enforcement, prosecutor says," via WAPO: U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman made the assertion outside of [Jeffrey] Epstein’s New York City mansion at a news conference meant to raise awareness about a state law that provides a window for those sexually abused as children to sue their abuser even if the statute of limitations has expired …
Epstein, a politically connected multimillionaire with ties to both President Trump and former president Bill Clinton, was arrested in July on federal charges that he abused dozens of young girls at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Fla.
THANKS, CHICOMS … "More than 100 tested for coronavirus in the U.S.; just 5 cases confirmed so far, CDC says," via NBC NEWS: As the coronavirus outbreak rages on in China, at least 110 people in the United States are undergoing testing for the new respiratory illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday …
Officials said the health risk to the general American public remains low. "We're being aggressive and cautious in tracking those close contacts," Messonnier said. "So far, we have not seen any human-to-human transmission in the U.S."
DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS … "The Post’s misguided suspension of Felicia Sonmez over Kobe Bryant tweets," via WAPO: The Post has suspended reporter Felicia Sonmez following her social-media activity over the death of NBA great Kobe Bryant. Here’s the explanation from Managing Editor Tracy Grant: "National political reporter Felicia Sonmez was placed on administrative leave while The Post reviews whether tweets about the death of Kobe Bryant violated The Post newsroom’s social media policy. The tweets displayed poor judgment that undermined the work of her colleagues."
What did Sonmez do to deserve this brushback? She tweeted out a very good story from the Daily Beast.
END OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION … "Yale Will Eliminate a Beloved Introductory Art Class for Being Too White, Male, and Western," via REASON: According to the Yale Daily News, the art department has decided that the class might make some students uncomfortable due to the "overwhelming" whiteness, maleness, and straightness of the artists who comprise the Western canon (though that last label may be dubious). Indeed, the focus on Western art is "problematic," course instructor Tim Barringer told the student newspaper …
In its final iteration, the course will "consider art in relation to questions of gender, class, and race and discuss its involvement with Western capitalism," according to the latest syllabus. Art's relationship to climate change will also be a "key theme."
MEANWHILE, AT HARVARD, OUR CHILDREN IS LEARNING …
This is a tweet for for the founders of the gun violence prevention movement started centuries ago by almost entirely black, brown and indigenous lgbtq women and non binary people that never got on the news or in most history books. We may not know all your names but thank you. — David Hogg (@davidhogg111) January 27, 2020
NASTY MAN … "Bernie the Nasty Campaigner," by WFB’s Andrew Stiles: As far back as the 1980s, [Bernie] Sanders was waging bizarre attacks against Democratic politicians. In 1986, while serving as mayor of Burlington, Vt., Sanders took shots at the state's first (and only) female governor, Madeleine Kunin, a Democrat who was running for reelection. "He claimed to be a better feminist than I was," Kunin said of Sanders during a recent interview. "It shocked me at the time."
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW: 1,143. Come 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--2020-01-30--House Passes Fentanyl Ban Over Democratic Objections

The House of Representatives voted 320–88 on Wednesday evening to extend a federal ban on fentanyl and its analogs , despite the dissenting votes and voices of 86 Democrats .
The bill , S.3201 , passed the Senate unanimously , but languished in the House for almost two weeks , running dangerously close to a Feb. 6 deadline after which the Drug Enforcement Administration 's blanket scheduling of fentanyl and its analogs was set to expire .
Such a lapse would have made it substantially harder for federal law enforcement to prosecute dealers of the drugs responsible for tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Even as they debated the bill Wednesday morning , however , some House Democrats still voiced concerns over a bill they saw as too tough on crime .
Such arguments , alongside the dissenting vote from within the Democratic caucus , raise serious questions about Democrats ' commitment to using all tools available to fight the deadliest drug crisis in American history .
There are a number of different chemical variations—called `` analogs '' —of the synthetic opioid fentanyl .
In 2018 , faced with a wave of new analogs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the Controlled Substances Act , the DEA used its administrative authority to temporarily place them all in schedule one , the strictest control category in the CSA .
That scheduling lasts only two years , which is where S.3201 comes in .
The bill—which , according to a Senate GOP aide , was `` watered down '' from a full ban—extends the scheduling by a year and instructs the Department of Justice to issue a report on the effects of continuing it further .
This version passed the Senate unanimously , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the political spectrum , including all 50 state attorneys general .
The bill 's extended stay in the House is due to Democratic opposition even to the weakened version .
House Democrats managed to kill a similar provision in last December 's spending bill .
On Wednesday it became apparent why House Democrats have been largely mum on the issue , as several caucus members indicated that they believed that enabling law enforcement to prosecute drug traffickers was a dangerous and wrong-headed approach .
`` Let 's not enact another law that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the root causes of the present crisis , which is substance abuse and which should be dealt with as a public health problem , '' Rep. Bobby Scott ( D. , Va. ) said .
`` That 's the approach we should take , and we can take that approach by rejecting this bill . ''
Others , like Rep. Jan Schakowsky ( D. , Ill. ) , cited fears of the increased use of mandatory minimums in fentanyl trafficking , which she said `` even the lowest quantity can trigger . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its analogs , or any other substance as a schedule one drug , has serious criminal justice implications .
We should not forget our history , and what happened to communities of color during the failed war on drugs , '' Schakowsky said .
According to the U.S .
Sentencing Commission , 433 people faced fentanyl trafficking charges in 2018 , when the DEA 's temporary scheduling was put into effect .
The average sentence length was roughly six years , with almost half of offenders receiving less than five years .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mandatory minimum , half of those were `` relieved of that penalty . ''
In fact , thanks to such relief , the average fentanyl sentence was shorter than what sentencing guidelines suggest it should be .
While fentanyl traffickers contribute a small share of the federal prison population and enjoy comparatively lenient sentences , the scheduling of fentanyl has been a vital tool for law enforcement .
Bob Bushman , president of the National Narcotics Officers ' Associations ' Coalition , which represents more than 55,000 law enforcement officers nationwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there is no way to control or slow up the distribution and the use of these drugs , we 're going to continue to see the deaths and the addiction problems we 're seeing . ''
`` A few years ago , we were n't dealing with this problem on this magnitude , '' Bushman said .
`` Being able to schedule [ fentanyl ] , being able to prosecute people that are trafficking these substances , is important .
But we need help from our elected officials to put the proper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have some effective strategies to deal with this problem .
We ca n't just make up laws . ''
Rep. Greg Walden ( R. , Ore. ) , who helped lead the Republican effort to pass the bill , on Wednesday criticized his Democratic colleagues for acting slowly .
`` There is no question that fentanyl poses an absolutely deadly threat to American lives , yet it took Democrats until the 11th hour to extend the fentanyl analogues ban , '' Walden said .
`` Thanks to pressure from patients , families , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Democrats finally joined the Senate and House Republicans in passing the fentanyl analogues ban .
We can only hope that the next time lives hang in the balance , we wo n't have to wait until the last minute for Democrats to act . ''

The House of Representatives voted 320–88 on Wednesday evening to extend a federal ban on fentanyl and its analogs, despite the dissenting votes and voices of 86 Democrats.
The bill, S.3201, passed the Senate unanimously, but languished in the House for almost two weeks, running dangerously close to a Feb. 6 deadline after which the Drug Enforcement Administration's blanket scheduling of fentanyl and its analogs was set to expire. Such a lapse would have made it substantially harder for federal law enforcement to prosecute dealers of the drugs responsible for tens of thousands of deaths over the past several years.
Even as they debated the bill Wednesday morning, however, some House Democrats still voiced concerns over a bill they saw as too tough on crime. Such arguments, alongside the dissenting vote from within the Democratic caucus, raise serious questions about Democrats' commitment to using all tools available to fight the deadliest drug crisis in American history.
There are a number of different chemical variations—called "analogs"—of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. In 2018, faced with a wave of new analogs, many of which were not technically illegal under the Controlled Substances Act, the DEA used its administrative authority to temporarily place them all in schedule one, the strictest control category in the CSA.
That scheduling lasts only two years, which is where S.3201 comes in. The bill—which, according to a Senate GOP aide, was "watered down" from a full ban—extends the scheduling by a year and instructs the Department of Justice to issue a report on the effects of continuing it further. This version passed the Senate unanimously, and garnered the support of law enforcement officers across the political spectrum, including all 50 state attorneys general.
The bill's extended stay in the House is due to Democratic opposition even to the weakened version. House Democrats managed to kill a similar provision in last December's spending bill. On Wednesday it became apparent why House Democrats have been largely mum on the issue, as several caucus members indicated that they believed that enabling law enforcement to prosecute drug traffickers was a dangerous and wrong-headed approach.
"Let's not enact another law that sends more people to prison while ignoring the root causes of the present crisis, which is substance abuse and which should be dealt with as a public health problem," Rep. Bobby Scott (D., Va.) said. "That's the approach we should take, and we can take that approach by rejecting this bill."
Others, like Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D., Ill.), cited fears of the increased use of mandatory minimums in fentanyl trafficking, which she said "even the lowest quantity can trigger."
"The emergency scheduling of fentanyl and its analogs, or any other substance as a schedule one drug, has serious criminal justice implications. We should not forget our history, and what happened to communities of color during the failed war on drugs," Schakowsky said.
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, 433 people faced fentanyl trafficking charges in 2018, when the DEA's temporary scheduling was put into effect. The average sentence length was roughly six years, with almost half of offenders receiving less than five years. While half were convicted of an offense carrying a mandatory minimum, half of those were "relieved of that penalty." In fact, thanks to such relief, the average fentanyl sentence was shorter than what sentencing guidelines suggest it should be.
While fentanyl traffickers contribute a small share of the federal prison population and enjoy comparatively lenient sentences, the scheduling of fentanyl has been a vital tool for law enforcement. Bob Bushman, president of the National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition, which represents more than 55,000 law enforcement officers nationwide, told the Washington Free Beacon that "if there is no way to control or slow up the distribution and the use of these drugs, we're going to continue to see the deaths and the addiction problems we're seeing."
"A few years ago, we weren't dealing with this problem on this magnitude," Bushman said. "Being able to schedule [fentanyl], being able to prosecute people that are trafficking these substances, is important. But we need help from our elected officials to put the proper laws in place to allow us to have some effective strategies to deal with this problem. We can't just make up laws."
Rep. Greg Walden (R., Ore.), who helped lead the Republican effort to pass the bill, on Wednesday criticized his Democratic colleagues for acting slowly.
"There is no question that fentanyl poses an absolutely deadly threat to American lives, yet it took Democrats until the 11th hour to extend the fentanyl analogues ban," Walden said. "Thanks to pressure from patients, families, law enforcement, and communities everywhere, House Democrats finally joined the Senate and House Republicans in passing the fentanyl analogues ban. We can only hope that the next time lives hang in the balance, we won't have to wait until the last minute for Democrats to act."


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Trump Signs USMCA, ‘Ending the NAFTA Nightmare’; Key Democrats Not Invited

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a new North American trade agreement during an outdoor ceremony at the White House attended by about 400 guests – but not the key Democrats who helped secure congressional passage of the deal .
Trump , on trial in the U.S. Senate on charges of abusing power and obstructing Congress , welcomed Republican senators at the South Lawn event by name .
Other guests included lawmakers from around the country , workers , farmers and chief executives , and officials from Mexico and Canada , the White House said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will replace the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement , including tougher rules on labor and automotive content but leaving $ 1.2 trillion in annual U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade flows largely unchanged .
`` Today , we are finally ending the NAFTA nightmare and signing into law the brand-new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement , '' Trump told the crowd .
Flanked by a group of American workers wearing hard hats , Trump said the agreement would bolster U.S. economic growth , benefiting farmers , workers and manufacturers .
He said his concerns about NAFTA-triggered outsourcing had triggered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A wide array of business groups welcomed the agreement , which also won a rare endorsement of the AFL-CIO union federation .
Mexico has already approved the deal , but it must still be ratified by Canada ’ s parliament before it can take effect .
The influential United Autoworkers said the new deal would not restore hundreds of thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs lost to Mexico after NAFTA , and vowed to be aggressive in pushing for enforcement of the trade agreement ’ s provisions .
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pact earlier this month , said the NAFTA replacement deal would not stop the offshoring of U.S. jobs and amounted to `` a giveaway to the fossil fuel industry . ''
He said he would immediately renegotiate the pact if elected .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , speaking in Ottawa , said his minority government would continue to answer questions posed by various industries and other groups .
`` We have questions and we have a process for ratification .
I just look forward to getting , getting through it responsibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important for Canadians , '' he said .
Excluded from the event were House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi , House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal and other Democrats who negotiated with the Trump administration for months to expand the pact ’ s labor , environmental and enforcement provisions and pave the way for its approval by the Democratic-controlled House .
Trump did not mention the work done by Pelosi or other Democrats on the trade pact , but U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer , in his remarks at the ceremony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played in getting the deal done .
Partisan tensions were running high as U.S. senators started to pose questions in Trump ’ s impeachment trial , ahead of a key vote later this week on whether to allow the calling of witnesses like former national security adviser John Bolton .
The White House on Wednesday objected to the publication of a book written by Bolton that depicts Trump as playing a central role in a pressure campaign on Ukraine to launch investigations of Democrats , including former Vice President Joe Biden , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face Trump in this year ’ s election .
Pelosi told reporters that Democrats had ensured `` vast improvements '' to the USMCA before it was approved , despite their absence from Trump ’ s White House event , adding , `` I hope he understands what he ’ s signing today . ''
Neal told reporters some Republican senators thought the deal was `` too Democratic . ''
He said the final accord won stronger protections for workers , better enforcement of environmental provisions and steps to prevent higher drug prices .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate teleconference that Democrats would remain vigilant on oversight of the improved trade deal and would fight for even better climate protections in future trade deals .
The U.S. Senate this month overwhelmingly approved legislation to implement the USMCA , sending the measure to Trump for signing into law .
U.S. lawmakers said it was unclear when the accord would take effect , since Canada ’ s main opposition Conservative Party had expressed concerns about aspects of the deal and there was no exact timeline for ratification there .
Even after Canada ratifies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more months since the three countries must show they are meeting their obligations before the clock starts ticking on an effective date .
Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Jeff Mason ; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey , David Shepardson and Alexandra Alper in Washington , and David Ljunggren in Ottawa ; Editing by Clarence Fernandez , Dan Grebler and Jonathan Oatis

By Jeff Mason, Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a new North American trade agreement during an outdoor ceremony at the White House attended by about 400 guests - but not the key Democrats who helped secure congressional passage of the deal.
Trump, on trial in the U.S. Senate on charges of abusing power and obstructing Congress, welcomed Republican senators at the South Lawn event by name. Other guests included lawmakers from around the country, workers, farmers and chief executives, and officials from Mexico and Canada, the White House said.
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will replace the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, including tougher rules on labor and automotive content but leaving $1.2 trillion in annual U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade flows largely unchanged.
"Today, we are finally ending the NAFTA nightmare and signing into law the brand-new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement," Trump told the crowd. Flanked by a group of American workers wearing hard hats, Trump said the agreement would bolster U.S. economic growth, benefiting farmers, workers and manufacturers.
He said his concerns about NAFTA-triggered outsourcing had triggered his run for the presidency in 2016.
A wide array of business groups welcomed the agreement, which also won a rare endorsement of the AFL-CIO union federation. Mexico has already approved the deal, but it must still be ratified by Canada’s parliament before it can take effect.
The influential United Autoworkers said the new deal would not restore hundreds of thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs lost to Mexico after NAFTA, and vowed to be aggressive in pushing for enforcement of the trade agreement’s provisions.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, a Vermont senator who voted against the pact earlier this month, said the NAFTA replacement deal would not stop the offshoring of U.S. jobs and amounted to "a giveaway to the fossil fuel industry." He said he would immediately renegotiate the pact if elected.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking in Ottawa, said his minority government would continue to answer questions posed by various industries and other groups.
"We have questions and we have a process for ratification. I just look forward to getting, getting through it responsibly and rapidly because it’s so important for Canadians," he said.
NO DEMOCRATS
Excluded from the event were House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal and other Democrats who negotiated with the Trump administration for months to expand the pact’s labor, environmental and enforcement provisions and pave the way for its approval by the Democratic-controlled House.
Trump did not mention the work done by Pelosi or other Democrats on the trade pact, but U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, in his remarks at the ceremony, acknowledged the role that House leaders played in getting the deal done.
Partisan tensions were running high as U.S. senators started to pose questions in Trump’s impeachment trial, ahead of a key vote later this week on whether to allow the calling of witnesses like former national security adviser John Bolton.
The White House on Wednesday objected to the publication of a book written by Bolton that depicts Trump as playing a central role in a pressure campaign on Ukraine to launch investigations of Democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden, a top contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in this year’s election.
Pelosi told reporters that Democrats had ensured "vast improvements" to the USMCA before it was approved, despite their absence from Trump’s White House event, adding, "I hope he understands what he’s signing today."
Neal told reporters some Republican senators thought the deal was "too Democratic." He said the final accord won stronger protections for workers, better enforcement of environmental provisions and steps to prevent higher drug prices.
Representative Rosa DeLauro told reporters in a separate teleconference that Democrats would remain vigilant on oversight of the improved trade deal and would fight for even better climate protections in future trade deals.
The U.S. Senate this month overwhelmingly approved legislation to implement the USMCA, sending the measure to Trump for signing into law.
U.S. lawmakers said it was unclear when the accord would take effect, since Canada’s main opposition Conservative Party had expressed concerns about aspects of the deal and there was no exact timeline for ratification there.
Even after Canada ratifies the accord, implementation could take several more months since the three countries must show they are meeting their obligations before the clock starts ticking on an effective date.
Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, David Shepardson and Alexandra Alper in Washington, and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Dan Grebler and Jonathan Oatis


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Democratic Senate Candidate Sara Gideon Hit With Second Ethics Complaint

Sara Gideon , the Democratic challenger to Sen. Susan Collins ( R. , Maine ) , is finding herself in hot water after being hit with a second ethics complaint stemming from the past operations of her state Leadership PAC .
The new complaint filed against Gideon , who is currently the speaker of Maine 's House of Representatives , was submitted Tuesday to the state 's Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices by the Maine Republican Party .
It alleges that the Gideon Leadership PAC failed to disclose thousands in expenditures for at least six Facebook ad campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The complaint further adds that the undisclosed spending appeared to fund ads that promoted Gideon 's state House reelection efforts , which bypasses the $ 400 per election in-kind contribution limit in the state .
`` Sara Gideon continues her pattern of unethical behavior , '' said Dr. Demi Kouzounas , chair of the Maine Republican Party .
`` First , the Maine Ethics Commission found Gideon broke the law by illegally using her corporate-funded Leadership PAC to reimburse herself for campaign contributions .
Today , Mainers learn she tried to hide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while also illegally boosting her own political ambitions . ''
`` Mainers know Gideon has long relied on corporate money , shady donors , and now illegally hiding campaign spending to further her political ambitions and give Maine ’ s voice away to Washington special interests , '' Kouzounas said .
This is the second ethics complaint Gideon has faced since announcing her candidacy in what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested Senate races in the country for the 2020 elections .
Gideon was hit with her first ethics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beacon report detailing how Gideon repeatedly violated election laws by reimbursing herself for personal political contributions to federal campaigns with money from her since dissolved Leadership PAC .
The state 's ethics watchdog unanimously found that Gideon had violated state laws and fined the committee $ 500 over its actions .
Bre Kidman , who is challenging Gideon in the Democratic primary , said ethics questions are becoming a liability for the establishment 's preferred candidate .
`` Is there a point at which mainstream Dems start treating the constant trickle of ethic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kidman asked on Twitter .
`` Or is everyone gon na keep pretending that it can be covered up by spending millions on advertisements ? ''

Sara Gideon, the Democratic challenger to Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine), is finding herself in hot water after being hit with a second ethics complaint stemming from the past operations of her state Leadership PAC.
The new complaint filed against Gideon, who is currently the speaker of Maine's House of Representatives, was submitted Tuesday to the state's Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices by the Maine Republican Party. It alleges that the Gideon Leadership PAC failed to disclose thousands in expenditures for at least six Facebook ad campaigns in the runup to the 2018 elections.
The complaint further adds that the undisclosed spending appeared to fund ads that promoted Gideon's state House reelection efforts, which bypasses the $400 per election in-kind contribution limit in the state.
"Sara Gideon continues her pattern of unethical behavior," said Dr. Demi Kouzounas, chair of the Maine Republican Party. "First, the Maine Ethics Commission found Gideon broke the law by illegally using her corporate-funded Leadership PAC to reimburse herself for campaign contributions. Today, Mainers learn she tried to hide thousands of dollars worth of campaign ads while also illegally boosting her own political ambitions."
"Mainers know Gideon has long relied on corporate money, shady donors, and now illegally hiding campaign spending to further her political ambitions and give Maine’s voice away to Washington special interests," Kouzounas said.
This is the second ethics complaint Gideon has faced since announcing her candidacy in what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested Senate races in the country for the 2020 elections.
Gideon was hit with her first ethics complaint last August following a Washington Free Beacon report detailing how Gideon repeatedly violated election laws by reimbursing herself for personal political contributions to federal campaigns with money from her since dissolved Leadership PAC.
The state's ethics watchdog unanimously found that Gideon had violated state laws and fined the committee $500 over its actions.
Bre Kidman, who is challenging Gideon in the Democratic primary, said ethics questions are becoming a liability for the establishment's preferred candidate.
"Is there a point at which mainstream Dems start treating the constant trickle of ethic violations like a genuine liability?" Kidman asked on Twitter. "Or is everyone gonna keep pretending that it can be covered up by spending millions on advertisements?"
https://twitter.com/beekay4me/status/1222320187820724224?s=21


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Sanders Bucks Party, Endorses Progressive Challenging Dem Congressman

Socialist presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) continued his clash with establishment Democrats Wednesday , as he endorsed a progressive attempting to unseat an incumbent House Democrat backed by party leadership .
Sanders announced his support for progressive Jessica Cisneros in her primary fight against Rep. Henry Cuellar ( D. , Texas ) , saying the incumbent Democrat does not `` understand that real change comes from the bottom on up , not the top on down . ''
Cisneros backs the same far-left policies associated with Sanders , including Medicare for All , the Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum wage .
The endorsement comes as Democratic leaders scramble to stop Sanders 's rise in the party 's presidential primary just days before the Iowa caucuses , fearing the Vermont senator 's socialism could bolster President Donald Trump 's reelection bid and hurt Democrats in swing districts .
National party leaders have stood by Cuellar despite Cisneros 's attack that he is `` Trump 's favorite Democrat . ''
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ( DCCC ) chairwoman Cheri Bustos endorsed Cuellar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's endorsement , arguing the Vermont senator 's out-of-state influence will fail to woo Texas voters .
`` While our opponent continues to focus on out-of-state celebrity endorsements , we are focused entirely on support from people who actually live and work in this district , '' Cuellar spokesman Colin Strother told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` That 's why we have endorsements from over 225 local elected officials and she has zero .
When it comes down to being organized on the ground and mobilizing voters , we think those strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The Cisneros campaign did not respond to a request for comment .
Cisneros is backed by Justice Democrats , the progressive group that supported Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) and Ilhan Omar ( D. , Minn. ) in 2018 .
She has racked up numerous national endorsements since launching her campaign in June , touting support from Ocasio-Cortez , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
, NARAL Pro-Choice America , and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund , in addition to Sanders .
Cuellar has criticized Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that `` it 's a radical , far-left group that wants to impose [ its ] vision from New York into South Texas . ''
A previous Free Beacon analysis found that Cisneros received just 1.8 percent in campaign contributions from inside the district she hopes to represent .
As Sanders surges in early primary states—he holds a nine-point lead in Iowa according to an Emerson College poll released Tuesday—establishment Democrats have expressed concern that the Vermont senator is too radical to win over American voters .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would `` make our tent bigger '' than Sanders because she does not `` come from a state as blue as Vermont . ''
Former South Bend , Ind.
, mayor Pete Buttigieg warned against Sanders 's electability in a Saturday fundraising email .
Former vice president Joe Biden has called himself `` the best candidate to beat Trump , '' while criticizing progressive candidates for being out-of-step with the average American .
Sanders 's 2020 rivals appear tame when compared with the party 's 2016 nominee , former secretary of state Hillary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What Happened , she accused Sanders of entering the primary race to `` disrupt the Democratic Party . ''
Clinton doubled down in January , calling Sanders a `` career politician '' that `` nobody likes . ''
`` He was in Congress for years .
He had one senator support him , '' Clinton told the Hollywood Reporter .
`` Nobody likes him , nobody wants to work with him , he got nothing done .
He was a career politician .
It 's all just baloney and I feel so bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The Sanders campaign did not respond to a request for comment .

Sanders: Incumbent Dem does not 'understand that real change comes from the bottom up'
Socialist presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) continued his clash with establishment Democrats Wednesday, as he endorsed a progressive attempting to unseat an incumbent House Democrat backed by party leadership.
Sanders announced his support for progressive Jessica Cisneros in her primary fight against Rep. Henry Cuellar (D., Texas), saying the incumbent Democrat does not "understand that real change comes from the bottom on up, not the top on down." Cisneros backs the same far-left policies associated with Sanders, including Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and a $15 minimum wage.
The endorsement comes as Democratic leaders scramble to stop Sanders's rise in the party's presidential primary just days before the Iowa caucuses, fearing the Vermont senator's socialism could bolster President Donald Trump's reelection bid and hurt Democrats in swing districts. National party leaders have stood by Cuellar despite Cisneros's attack that he is "Trump's favorite Democrat." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) chairwoman Cheri Bustos endorsed Cuellar.
Cuellar's campaign pushed back against Sanders's endorsement, arguing the Vermont senator's out-of-state influence will fail to woo Texas voters.
"While our opponent continues to focus on out-of-state celebrity endorsements, we are focused entirely on support from people who actually live and work in this district," Cuellar spokesman Colin Strother told the Washington Free Beacon. "That's why we have endorsements from over 225 local elected officials and she has zero. When it comes down to being organized on the ground and mobilizing voters, we think those strategic partnerships will add significantly more value."
The Cisneros campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Cisneros is backed by Justice Democrats, the progressive group that supported Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) in 2018. She has racked up numerous national endorsements since launching her campaign in June, touting support from Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), NARAL Pro-Choice America, and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, in addition to Sanders.
Cuellar has criticized Justice Democrats' role in the primary, saying that "it's a radical, far-left group that wants to impose [its] vision from New York into South Texas." A previous Free Beacon analysis found that Cisneros received just 1.8 percent in campaign contributions from inside the district she hopes to represent.
As Sanders surges in early primary states—he holds a nine-point lead in Iowa according to an Emerson College poll released Tuesday—establishment Democrats have expressed concern that the Vermont senator is too radical to win over American voters. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) argued Sunday that she would "make our tent bigger" than Sanders because she does not "come from a state as blue as Vermont." Former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg warned against Sanders's electability in a Saturday fundraising email. Former vice president Joe Biden has called himself "the best candidate to beat Trump," while criticizing progressive candidates for being out-of-step with the average American.
Sanders's 2020 rivals appear tame when compared with the party's 2016 nominee, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. In her campaign memoir, What Happened, she accused Sanders of entering the primary race to "disrupt the Democratic Party." Clinton doubled down in January, calling Sanders a "career politician" that "nobody likes."
"He was in Congress for years. He had one senator support him," Clinton told the Hollywood Reporter. "Nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him, he got nothing done. He was a career politician. It's all just baloney and I feel so bad that people got sucked into it."
The Sanders campaign did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Supporting Sanders a Bridge Too Far for (Some) Never Trump Republicans

Sen. Bernie Sanders 's ( I. , Vt. ) well-timed surge in the early Democratic primary contests in Iowa and New Hampshire is striking panic into the hearts of one of America 's most irrelevant political demographics .
The Washington Examiner reports that so-called Never Trump Republicans are freaking out about the possibility of Sanders winning the Democratic nomination .
For some Trump opponents who still consider themselves politically conservative , supporting an avowed socialist candidate would be a bridge too far .
Some fear a Sanders victory in the primary could make the Never Trump movement even more irrelevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surging days before the Iowa caucuses and a couple of weeks before the New Hampshire primary , leaving Republican operatives avowedly opposed to Trump worried and perplexed .
Most are convinced swing voters in key battlegrounds would reject Sanders , paving the way for Trump ’ s reelection .
They are also convinced the Vermont senator , 78 , is simply too liberal to earn their vote .
With a Sanders nomination , Never Trump Republicans are unsure of what comes next .
`` I do n't know where the anti-Trump movement goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Never Trump Republican and former New Hampshire GOP chairwoman who is affiliated with the Lincoln Project , a group of anti-Trump Republicans who have pressured GOP senators to support impeachment .
`` It 's a really tough question , '' added political strategist Sarah Longwell , a Never Trump Republican at the center of an unsuccessful effort to recruit a formidable candidate to challenge the president in the 2020 GOP primary .
The Never Trump crowd 's failure to mount a serious primary challenge to Trump was inevitable—the president has an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans .
But it has left the movement with few options apart from openly supporting the Democratic nominee in 2020 .
The Lincoln Project , launched recently by a group of failed Republican strategists and Kellyanne Conway 's husband , stated explicitly that its goal was to `` ensure a victory in the Electoral College '' for the Democratic presidential candidate .
They hoped that candidate would be former vice president Joe Biden , who still has a shot at winning , but a Sanders nomination is looking increasingly likely .
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boot , Jennifer Rubin , and Matthew Dowd , among others—to lose their minds .
There would be a certain poetry to watching them become shills for a socialist who spent his honeymoon in the Soviet Union .
The Examiner already found at least one Never Trump Republican sufficiently dedicated to the cause that he 'll support the Democratic nominee no matter what—even if it were Sanders .
`` I would not feel particularly happy about it , but I would swallow hard and pull the lever , '' said Jerry Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What , exactly , are their other options ?
Perhaps Evan McMullin can run again and try to top his 2016 performance , which amounted to 0.5 percent of the popular vote and zero electoral votes .
Most likely they 'll just keep whining and writing columns about how Trump 's withholding of military aid to Ukraine was worse than the Trail of Tears .
The mainstream media will continue to employ them in numbers that far exceed their actual proportion of the American public .
A Sanders-Trump general election would , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their irrelevance .

Socialist candidate threatens to make the movement more irrelevant, if that's even possible
Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) well-timed surge in the early Democratic primary contests in Iowa and New Hampshire is striking panic into the hearts of one of America's most irrelevant political demographics.
The Washington Examiner reports that so-called Never Trump Republicans are freaking out about the possibility of Sanders winning the Democratic nomination. For some Trump opponents who still consider themselves politically conservative, supporting an avowed socialist candidate would be a bridge too far. Some fear a Sanders victory in the primary could make the Never Trump movement even more irrelevant than it already is.
Sanders is surging days before the Iowa caucuses and a couple of weeks before the New Hampshire primary, leaving Republican operatives avowedly opposed to Trump worried and perplexed. Most are convinced swing voters in key battlegrounds would reject Sanders, paving the way for Trump’s reelection. They are also convinced the Vermont senator, 78, is simply too liberal to earn their vote. With a Sanders nomination, Never Trump Republicans are unsure of what comes next. "I don't know where the anti-Trump movement goes from there," said Jennifer Horn, a Never Trump Republican and former New Hampshire GOP chairwoman who is affiliated with the Lincoln Project, a group of anti-Trump Republicans who have pressured GOP senators to support impeachment. "It's a really tough question," added political strategist Sarah Longwell, a Never Trump Republican at the center of an unsuccessful effort to recruit a formidable candidate to challenge the president in the 2020 GOP primary.
The Never Trump crowd's failure to mount a serious primary challenge to Trump was inevitable—the president has an approval rating of around 90 percent among Republicans. But it has left the movement with few options apart from openly supporting the Democratic nominee in 2020.
The Lincoln Project, launched recently by a group of failed Republican strategists and Kellyanne Conway's husband, stated explicitly that its goal was to "ensure a victory in the Electoral College" for the Democratic presidential candidate.
They hoped that candidate would be former vice president Joe Biden, who still has a shot at winning, but a Sanders nomination is looking increasingly likely. Trump has already caused many of his former-Republican opponents—Max Boot, Jennifer Rubin, and Matthew Dowd, among others—to lose their minds. There would be a certain poetry to watching them become shills for a socialist who spent his honeymoon in the Soviet Union.
The Examiner already found at least one Never Trump Republican sufficiently dedicated to the cause that he'll support the Democratic nominee no matter what—even if it were Sanders. "I would not feel particularly happy about it, but I would swallow hard and pull the lever," said Jerry Taylor, president of the D.C.-based Niskanen Center.
What, exactly, are their other options? Perhaps Evan McMullin can run again and try to top his 2016 performance, which amounted to 0.5 percent of the popular vote and zero electoral votes.
Most likely they'll just keep whining and writing columns about how Trump's withholding of military aid to Ukraine was worse than the Trail of Tears. The mainstream media will continue to employ them in numbers that far exceed their actual proportion of the American public. A Sanders-Trump general election would, at the very least, highlight the extent of their irrelevance.


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Iowa Farmer: 2020 Democrats Want to Give Everything Away, Are All Too Radical

A prominent Iowa farmer criticized Democratic presidential candidates in a local interview for being tone-deaf on U.S. trade policy and supporting radical policy proposals that favor handouts .
`` They all seem to want to give everything away , '' Tim Bardole , the president of the Iowa Soybean Association , said on KDSM Fox 17 .
Bardole said he would vote for a Democratic presidential candidate but claimed the remaining candidates are far too radical .
When asked which candidate worried him the most , Bardole answered , `` Probably Bernie Sanders . ''
Sanders ’ s campaign has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposals .
He has pushed for the cancellation of student debt , federal subsidization of higher education , and the abolition of private health insurance .
Sanders estimated the cost of his Medicare for All plan would cost $ 40 trillion over 10 years and his campaign unveiled a $ 16 trillion Green New Deal plan .
Other Iowa farmers who were interviewed expressed frustration that many of the Democratic presidential candidates have blamed President Donald Trump for fallout from a trade war with China .
`` What President Trump has done , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa farmer said .
`` We ’ ve paid the price financially for two years , and it ’ s time we get that trade back .
That ’ s what we live on . ''
Bardole also said , `` I ’ ve been asked , well , since President Trump has put these tariffs on you , how does that make you feel ?
Well , he didn ’ t .
China put the tariffs on my product . ''
Sanders voted against Trump 's U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement which revamped the 26-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @

A prominent Iowa farmer criticized Democratic presidential candidates in a local interview for being tone-deaf on U.S. trade policy and supporting radical policy proposals that favor handouts.
"They all seem to want to give everything away," Tim Bardole, the president of the Iowa Soybean Association, said on KDSM Fox 17. Bardole said he would vote for a Democratic presidential candidate but claimed the remaining candidates are far too radical.
When asked which candidate worried him the most, Bardole answered, "Probably Bernie Sanders."
Sanders’s campaign has leaned heavily on government-run and government-subsidized policy proposals. He has pushed for the cancellation of student debt, federal subsidization of higher education, and the abolition of private health insurance. Sanders estimated the cost of his Medicare for All plan would cost $40 trillion over 10 years and his campaign unveiled a $16 trillion Green New Deal plan.
Other Iowa farmers who were interviewed expressed frustration that many of the Democratic presidential candidates have blamed President Donald Trump for fallout from a trade war with China.
"What President Trump has done, had to be done," one Iowa farmer said. "We’ve paid the price financially for two years, and it’s time we get that trade back. That’s what we live on."
Bardole also said, "I’ve been asked, well, since President Trump has put these tariffs on you, how does that make you feel? Well, he didn’t. China put the tariffs on my product."
Sanders voted against Trump's U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement which revamped the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Texas Democrat Embraced by Beto and Top 2020 Candidates Loses in Landslide

Democrat Eliz Markowitz suffered a major loss in Tuesday 's special runoff election for Texas House District 28 , despite a flood of support from liberal groups and top Democrats like Beto O'Rourke .
Republican Gary Gates beat Markowitz by 16 points in the suburban Houston race Democrats hoped would be a bellwether for flipping the state House to Democratic control .
Markowitz badly underperformed O'Rourke , who lost the district by three points in 2018 to Sen. Ted Cruz ( R. , Texas ) , and even Hillary Clinton , who lost it by 10 points in 2016 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Markowitz , making it his `` second home '' over the past month .
The race was an early test of his political strength following his disappointing 2020 presidential campaign , which he suspended in November .
His new political action committee , Powered by People , founded in an effort to turn the Texas legislature blue , brought 1,000 people to the district to help in the contest .
Outside liberal groups such as Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas , Moms Demand Action , and EMILY ’ s List endorsed Markowitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the race .
2020 hopeful Michael Bloomberg stumped alongside Markowitz in December , and she also received endorsements from Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass. )
.
Former presidential candidate Julián Castro campaigned for her as well .
`` Guess what ?
This will set the tone for the entire general election in 2020 , '' Biden said in a video alongside Markowitz on Jan. 16 .
O'Rourke congratulated Gates Wednesday morning and looked ahead to November when the two candidates will likely have a rematch during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who spent $ 1.5 million of his own money on the contest , told supporters Tuesday , `` [ Democrats ] thought this was a seat they could flip , '' prompting responses of `` No way '' and `` Do n't mess with Texas , '' the Texas Tribune reported .
Texas governor Greg Abbott ( R. ) mocked O'Rourke over the result , tweeting `` Beto math does n't work '' while pointing out how much Gates outperformed Cruz 's margin in the district in 2018 .
O'Rourke 's narrow loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national Democratic star , which he used as a launching pad for his 2020 presidential campaign .
However , the former three-term congressman could n't gain traction , even with swings to the left like his call for a confiscation of AK-47 and AR-15 rifles .
The Austin American-Statesman reported GOP polling found O'Rourke to be unpopular in District 28 and his deep involvement `` may have proved a mixed blessing at best . ''

Democrat Eliz Markowitz suffered a major loss in Tuesday's special runoff election for Texas House District 28, despite a flood of support from liberal groups and top Democrats like Beto O'Rourke.
Republican Gary Gates beat Markowitz by 16 points in the suburban Houston race Democrats hoped would be a bellwether for flipping the state House to Democratic control. Markowitz badly underperformed O'Rourke, who lost the district by three points in 2018 to Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), and even Hillary Clinton, who lost it by 10 points in 2016 to President Donald Trump.
O'Rourke campaigned heavily for Markowitz, making it his "second home" over the past month. The race was an early test of his political strength following his disappointing 2020 presidential campaign, which he suspended in November.
His new political action committee, Powered by People, founded in an effort to turn the Texas legislature blue, brought 1,000 people to the district to help in the contest. Outside liberal groups such as Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Moms Demand Action, and EMILY’s List endorsed Markowitz and poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race.
2020 hopeful Michael Bloomberg stumped alongside Markowitz in December, and she also received endorsements from Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.). Former presidential candidate Julián Castro campaigned for her as well.
"Guess what? This will set the tone for the entire general election in 2020," Biden said in a video alongside Markowitz on Jan. 16.
O'Rourke congratulated Gates Wednesday morning and looked ahead to November when the two candidates will likely have a rematch during the general election.
https://twitter.com/BetoORourke/status/1222397604320940033?s=20
Gates, a businessman who spent $1.5 million of his own money on the contest, told supporters Tuesday, "[Democrats] thought this was a seat they could flip," prompting responses of "No way" and "Don't mess with Texas," the Texas Tribune reported.
Texas governor Greg Abbott (R.) mocked O'Rourke over the result, tweeting "Beto math doesn't work" while pointing out how much Gates outperformed Cruz's margin in the district in 2018.
Wait. Beto math was that if he won or was close in a House district then he could help a democrat win. He came within 3% in this district. Early returns show the Republican winning by about 18% Beto math doesn’t work.
All of that $ was incinerated. https://t.co/1euLaqE0px — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 29, 2020
O'Rourke's narrow loss in the 2018 Senate race made him a national Democratic star, which he used as a launching pad for his 2020 presidential campaign. However, the former three-term congressman couldn't gain traction, even with swings to the left like his call for a confiscation of AK-47 and AR-15 rifles.
The Austin American-Statesman reported GOP polling found O'Rourke to be unpopular in District 28 and his deep involvement "may have proved a mixed blessing at best."


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Tlaib Donor Praised Terror Backer Who Called for New Holocaust

A Muslim community leader accused of having financial ties to Hamas donated to Rep. Rashida Tlaib 's ( D. , Mich. ) campaign last month , records show .
Salah Sarsour , an alleged Hamas sympathizer who once boasted about meeting a Muslim Brotherhood leader known for advocating violence against Jews , donated $ 1,000 to Tlaib 's reelection campaign on Dec. 12 , the Federal Election Commission 's website shows .
He also donated $ 500 on Sept. 29 to Democratic congressional candidate Rush Darwish , a Palestinian American who supports boycotts against Israel .
Sarsour is a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a group the Anti-Defamation League has described as `` the leading organization providing anti-Zionist training and education to students and Muslim community organizations in the country . ''
Sarsour has been an outspoken critic of Israel .
He once posted on his Facebook page in support of radical Egyptian preacher Yusuf al-Qaradawi .
Al-Qaradawi has advocated terrorism against Israel and has been linked to the Muslim Brotherhood , an extremist organization designated as a terrorist group by several countries .
In 2016 , Sarsour posted a clip on his personal Facebook page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caption on the post praising the preacher for bringing people `` closer to Allah with love and knowledge . ''
He also recalled meeting al-Qaradawi three times and said he `` kissed '' the preacher 's hand during their last encounter .
Al-Qaradawi , who is banned from visiting the United States , has a long history of espousing hatred toward Israel and calling for Jews to be killed .
During a 2009 speech that aired on Al Jazeera , al-Qaradawi said he wants Muslims to be responsible for the next Holocaust , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s enemies , the Jews , and they will throw a bomb at me , and thus I will seal my life with martyrdom . ''
Sarsour also mourned in a Facebook post the death of Mohammed Mahdi Akef , the late Muslim Brotherhood leader who called the Holocaust a `` myth '' and said Israel is a `` cancer to root out . ''
The Tlaib campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment .
A receptionist at Sarsour ’ s office said Sarsour ’ s attorney would be in contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family were mentioned at a 2016 House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing , which shed light on organizations that have been targeted by the U.S. government for terrorism finance violations .
Jonathan Schanzer , a former terrorism finance analyst at the Treasury Department , testified at the time that Sarsour 's past is a `` concern '' and said members of Sarsour 's family have similarly expressed support for terror leaders .
`` Sarsour 's brother , Jamil Sarsour , told Israeli authorities that he and Salah used their Milwaukee furniture store 's bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was then a leader of the Qassam Brigades , Hamas 's armed wing , '' Schanzer 's testimony said .
`` According to Jamil , Salah Sarsour and Awadallah had become friends while sharing a prison cell .
Salah Sarsour spent eight months in jail in Israel for his Hamas activity . ''
Jamil Sarsour spent four years in an Israeli jail .
Sarsour 's brothers , Imad and Jamil , both donated to Tlaib 's campaign in 2018 .
Imad donated $ 300 and Jamil donated $ 500 .
Salah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Milwaukee , was reportedly named in a 2001 FBI memo to the U.S. Treasury 's Office of Foreign Assets Control by his brother Jamil , who said he cooperated with Israeli authorities after being arrested in 1998 for alleged financial ties to Hamas .
When arrested , Jamil Sarsour was allegedly carrying $ 66,530 in cash and had two American passports in his possession , according to the FBI document referenced by Schanzer in his testimony .
During the interview with Israeli authorities , Jamil reportedly admitted that Salah and Imad were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Land Foundation for Relief and Development , a now-defunct charity the FBI deemed a financial pass-through group for Hamas .
The charity was convicted of several charges in 2008 , including 10 counts of conspiracy to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization .

A Muslim community leader accused of having financial ties to Hamas donated to Rep. Rashida Tlaib's (D., Mich.) campaign last month, records show.
Salah Sarsour, an alleged Hamas sympathizer who once boasted about meeting a Muslim Brotherhood leader known for advocating violence against Jews, donated $1,000 to Tlaib's reelection campaign on Dec. 12, the Federal Election Commission's website shows. He also donated $500 on Sept. 29 to Democratic congressional candidate Rush Darwish, a Palestinian American who supports boycotts against Israel.
Sarsour is a national board member of American Muslims for Palestine, a group the Anti-Defamation League has described as "the leading organization providing anti-Zionist training and education to students and Muslim community organizations in the country."
Sarsour has been an outspoken critic of Israel. He once posted on his Facebook page in support of radical Egyptian preacher Yusuf al-Qaradawi.
Al-Qaradawi has advocated terrorism against Israel and has been linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, an extremist organization designated as a terrorist group by several countries.
In 2016, Sarsour posted a clip on his personal Facebook page of al-Qaradawi speaking. Sarsour included a caption on the post praising the preacher for bringing people "closer to Allah with love and knowledge." He also recalled meeting al-Qaradawi three times and said he "kissed" the preacher's hand during their last encounter.
Al-Qaradawi, who is banned from visiting the United States, has a long history of espousing hatred toward Israel and calling for Jews to be killed. During a 2009 speech that aired on Al Jazeera, al-Qaradawi said he wants Muslims to be responsible for the next Holocaust, adding he "will shoot Allah’s enemies, the Jews, and they will throw a bomb at me, and thus I will seal my life with martyrdom."
Sarsour also mourned in a Facebook post the death of Mohammed Mahdi Akef, the late Muslim Brotherhood leader who called the Holocaust a "myth" and said Israel is a "cancer to root out."
The Tlaib campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A receptionist at Sarsour’s office said Sarsour’s attorney would be in contact on his behalf.
Sarsour and his family were mentioned at a 2016 House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, which shed light on organizations that have been targeted by the U.S. government for terrorism finance violations.
Jonathan Schanzer, a former terrorism finance analyst at the Treasury Department, testified at the time that Sarsour's past is a "concern" and said members of Sarsour's family have similarly expressed support for terror leaders.
"Sarsour's brother, Jamil Sarsour, told Israeli authorities that he and Salah used their Milwaukee furniture store's bank account to pass money to Adel Awadallah, who was then a leader of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing," Schanzer's testimony said. "According to Jamil, Salah Sarsour and Awadallah had become friends while sharing a prison cell. Salah Sarsour spent eight months in jail in Israel for his Hamas activity." Jamil Sarsour spent four years in an Israeli jail.
Sarsour's brothers, Imad and Jamil, both donated to Tlaib's campaign in 2018. Imad donated $300 and Jamil donated $500.
Salah Sarsour, who owns a furniture store in Milwaukee, was reportedly named in a 2001 FBI memo to the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control by his brother Jamil, who said he cooperated with Israeli authorities after being arrested in 1998 for alleged financial ties to Hamas.
When arrested, Jamil Sarsour was allegedly carrying $66,530 in cash and had two American passports in his possession, according to the FBI document referenced by Schanzer in his testimony.
During the interview with Israeli authorities, Jamil reportedly admitted that Salah and Imad were involved in raising money for the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, a now-defunct charity the FBI deemed a financial pass-through group for Hamas. The charity was convicted of several charges in 2008, including 10 counts of conspiracy to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization.


freebeacon--2020-01-29--Dem Senator: Hunter Biden Is a Relevant Witness

Sen. Joe Manchin ( D. , W.Va. ) on Wednesday said Hunter Biden should testify in the Senate impeachment trial .
`` I think so , I really do , '' Manchin said .
`` I do n't have a problem there , because this is why we are where we are .
Now , I think that he could clear himself of what I know and what I 've heard , but being afraid to put anybody [ on the witness list ] that might have pertinent information is wrong no matter if you 're a Democrat or Republican… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be there . ''
Hunter Biden pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars while serving on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while his father served as vice president .
His financial ties to the country have been at the center of Trump 's impeachment .
Manchin reiterated that if the Senate calls witnesses , Biden should be on the list .
`` If , in fact , we get to the point where witnesses are being allowed would you vote to call Hunter Biden as a witness ? ''
MSNBC reporter Kasie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or whoever rules that it 's pertinent , absolutely , '' Manchin said .
`` I want witnesses .
I want people to tell me what you know .
You 're asking me to make the most important decision I 've ever made in a critical arena I 'm in or as an individual , and I want to hear everything I can .
I want to make sure that the decision I make is a right one . ''
Manchin added that he has not decided whether he will vote in favor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump .
`` I have not made a decision , '' Manchin said .
`` I take my oath seriously about impartiality .
I have not made a decision yet . ''

Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) on Wednesday said Hunter Biden should testify in the Senate impeachment trial.
"Is Hunter Biden a relevant witness, senator?" MSNBC's Morning Joe anchor Willie Geist asked.
"I think so, I really do," Manchin said. "I don't have a problem there, because this is why we are where we are. Now, I think that he could clear himself of what I know and what I've heard, but being afraid to put anybody [on the witness list] that might have pertinent information is wrong no matter if you're a Democrat or Republican.... If it's relevant it should be there."
Hunter Biden pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars while serving on the board of a Ukrainian energy company while his father served as vice president. His financial ties to the country have been at the center of Trump's impeachment. Manchin reiterated that if the Senate calls witnesses, Biden should be on the list.
"If, in fact, we get to the point where witnesses are being allowed would you vote to call Hunter Biden as a witness?" MSNBC reporter Kasie Hunt asked.
"If the judge or whoever rules that it's pertinent, absolutely," Manchin said. "I want witnesses. I want people to tell me what you know. You're asking me to make the most important decision I've ever made in a critical arena I'm in or as an individual, and I want to hear everything I can. I want to make sure that the decision I make is a right one."
Manchin added that he has not decided whether he will vote in favor of the impeachment articles or to acquit President Trump.
"I have not made a decision," Manchin said. "I take my oath seriously about impartiality. I have not made a decision yet."