Beacon Extra 1/30/20

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon ’ s morning newsletter , your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom .
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IMPEACHMENT UPDATE … Donald J. Trump is still President of the United States .
DEMS TRY TO BEAT MIDNIGHT MITCH AT HIS OWN GAME … `` Steyer , Soros-Funded Groups Part of New Coalition Launched to Attack McConnell , '' by WFB ’ s Joe Schoffstall : Despite their focus on `` inequality , '' the groups behind Fix Our Senate are themselves fueled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful donors to the Democratic party … It also indicates that these groups see [ Majority Leader Mitch ] McConnell—who has repeatedly frustrated the left 's agenda in the Senate—as a prime target in November … Fix Our Senate will be registered as a 501 ( c ) ( 4 ) nonprofit , which will allow it to hide the identity of its donors .
AGAINST IT BEFORE THEY WERE FOR IT … `` Majority Of Top 2020 Democrats Backed By Outside Groups As Early Primaries Near , '' via OPEN SECRETS : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House with the promise to reject support from outside groups .
But with just a few days left till the early primaries , yet another TV ad campaign by an outside group––this time in support of former South Bend , Ind.
, mayor Pete Buttigieg––indicates the 2020 Democrats are opening up to outside money .
Three of the top five candidates are refusing to disavow outside groups spending on their behalf .
HOW SAY IRONY IN CHEROKEE ?
… `` Elizabeth Warren proposes criminal penalties for spreading voting disinformation online , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online foreign interference erode our democracy , and Donald Trump has invited both , '' Warren said in a Tweet Wednesday .
`` Anyone who seeks to challenge and defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 election must be fully prepared to take this on—and I ’ ve got a plan to do it . ''
Warren proposed to combat disinformation by holding big tech companies like Facebook , Twitter , and Google responsible for spreading misinformation designed to suppress voters from turning out .
SWAMPSPEAK … `` Schumer on the likelihood of witnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via NYT : [ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ] maintained he held out hope that enough Republican senators would agree .
`` Is it more likely than not ? ''
he said .
`` Probably no .
But is it a decent , good chance ?
Yes . ''
YOU KNOW WHAT ’ S COOL ?
A SECOND TERM … `` Trump ’ s Digital Advantage Is Freaking Out Democratic Strategists , '' via NYT : Republicans `` have a big advantage this time , '' Ben Nuckels , a Democratic media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They not only have all the data from 2016 but they have been building this operation into a nonstop juggernaut . ''
… Tara McGowan , executive director of the recently created pro-Democratic group Acronym … replied to my questions by email : `` There ’ s no digital dark magic being deployed by Brad Parscale and the Trump campaign .
They just have near unlimited resources and are spending them wisely to reach their voters where they are—online , and especially on platforms like Facebook . ''
YOU ’ LL GET @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NEXT TIME , OR THE NEXT TIME … '' The Humbling of Texas Democrats , '' via THE ATLANTIC : Republicans [ Tuesday ] swamped Democrats in what one progressive group had hyped as `` the most important special election since the midterms , '' winning by 16 points a key state legislative race that both parties had viewed as a test run for the much bigger campaign this fall … Former representative Beto O ’ Rourke , who nearly carried the district in his close Senate race in 2018 , campaigned aggressively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own White House bid in the fall .
Yet she not only failed to match O ’ Rourke ’ s performance two years ago against Senator Ted Cruz , she fell short of the 43 percent of the vote that Hillary Clinton earned in the district in 2016 .
FAILED EXEC TO GET GOLDEN PARACHUTE … `` The DNC Approved And Kept Private A Generous Exit Package For Tom Perez And Two Top Deputies , '' via BUZZFEED : Outside the party ’ s budget and finance committee , DNC leadership who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they were astounded to learn that on the eve of the presidential primary , and at a time when the Democratic Party is facing a tremendous fundraising deficit , plans were being made to propose a generous compensation package for Perez and such a select group of his top deputies .
`` I think it is completely short-sighted and really stupid , '' one senior official said .
CHAI TIMES … `` Russian President Putin signed decree to pardon Naama Issachar , '' via JERUSALEM POST : Russian president Vladimir Putin signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Issachar , who was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for possession and smuggling of drugs , the Kremlin [ said ] in a statement … Issachar , 26 , is an Israeli-American who was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison in Russia after 9.5 grams of cannabis were found in [ her ] suitcase during a stopover in Moscow en route home to Israel from a trip to India .
CNN MAKES IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION TO TRUMP VICTORY … `` RNC Releases Ad Showing CNN Panel Mocking Trump Voters as ‘ Rubes ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Joke ’ , '' via NRO : The Republican National Committee released an ad on Tuesday using footage of a CNN contributor mocking Trump voters as `` credulous rubes . ''
… In the CNN segment , contributor Rick Wilson says the Trump administration is `` defined by ignorance of the world '' and referred to the `` credulous boomer rube demo that backs Donald Trump . ''
Anchor Don Lemon bends over laughing in response to Wilson ’ s jibes .
BIRDS OF A FEATHER … `` Tlaib Donor Praised Terror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' by WFB ’ s Camerone Cawthorne : 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 … In 2016 , Sarsour posted a clip on his personal Facebook page of al-Qaradawi speaking … During a 2009 speech that aired on Al Jazeera , al-Qaradawi said he wants Muslims to be responsible for the next Holocaust , adding he `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Jews , and they will throw a bomb at me , and thus I will seal my life with martyrdom . ''
DOZENS OF VOTES AT STAKE … `` Supporting Sanders a Bridge Too Far for ( Some ) Never Trump Republicans , '' by WFB ’ s Andrew Stiles : 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 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 1,145 .
Come back , Joe !
`` You know who really doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —Former President Barack Obama Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Pocahontas breaks the irony meter, dark money comes for Midnight Mitch, and literally dozens of NeverTrump votes are at stake
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.
DEMS TRY TO BEAT MIDNIGHT MITCH AT HIS OWN GAME … "Steyer, Soros-Funded Groups Part of New Coalition Launched to Attack McConnell," by WFB’s Joe Schoffstall: Despite their focus on "inequality," the groups behind Fix Our Senate are themselves fueled by some of the wealthiest and most powerful donors to the Democratic party … It also indicates that these groups see [Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell—who has repeatedly frustrated the left's agenda in the Senate—as a prime target in November …
Fix Our Senate will be registered as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, which will allow it to hide the identity of its donors.
AGAINST IT BEFORE THEY WERE FOR IT … "Majority Of Top 2020 Democrats Backed By Outside Groups As Early Primaries Near," via OPEN SECRETS: Democratic presidential candidates started their race to the White House with the promise to reject support from outside groups.
But with just a few days left till the early primaries, yet another TV ad campaign by an outside group––this time in support of former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg––indicates the 2020 Democrats are opening up to outside money. Three of the top five candidates are refusing to disavow outside groups spending on their behalf.
HOW SAY IRONY IN CHEROKEE? … "Elizabeth Warren proposes criminal penalties for spreading voting disinformation online," via CNBC: "Disinformation and online foreign interference erode our democracy, and Donald Trump has invited both," Warren said in a Tweet Wednesday. "Anyone who seeks to challenge and defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 election must be fully prepared to take this on—and I’ve got a plan to do it."
Warren proposed to combat disinformation by holding big tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google responsible for spreading misinformation designed to suppress voters from turning out.
SWAMPSPEAK … "Schumer on the likelihood of witnesses: ‘Probably no.’," via NYT: [Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer] maintained he held out hope that enough Republican senators would agree.
"Is it more likely than not?" he said. "Probably no. But is it a decent, good chance? Yes."
YOU KNOW WHAT’S COOL? A SECOND TERM … "Trump’s Digital Advantage Is Freaking Out Democratic Strategists," via NYT: Republicans "have a big advantage this time," Ben Nuckels, a Democratic media consultant said in a phone interview. "They not only have all the data from 2016 but they have been building this operation into a nonstop juggernaut." …
Tara McGowan, executive director of the recently created pro-Democratic group Acronym … replied to my questions by email: "There’s no digital dark magic being deployed by Brad Parscale and the Trump campaign. They just have near unlimited resources and are spending them wisely to reach their voters where they are—online, and especially on platforms like Facebook."
YOU’LL GET ‘EM NEXT TIME, OR THE NEXT TIME, OR THE NEXT TIME …"The Humbling of Texas Democrats," via THE ATLANTIC: Republicans [Tuesday] swamped Democrats in what one progressive group had hyped as "the most important special election since the midterms," winning by 16 points a key state legislative race that both parties had viewed as a test run for the much bigger campaign this fall …
Former representative Beto O’Rourke, who nearly carried the district in his close Senate race in 2018, campaigned aggressively for [Eliz] Markowitz after dropping his own White House bid in the fall. Yet she not only failed to match O’Rourke’s performance two years ago against Senator Ted Cruz, she fell short of the 43 percent of the vote that Hillary Clinton earned in the district in 2016.
FAILED EXEC TO GET GOLDEN PARACHUTE … "The DNC Approved And Kept Private A Generous Exit Package For Tom Perez And Two Top Deputies," via BUZZFEED: Outside the party’s budget and finance committee, DNC leadership who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they were astounded to learn that on the eve of the presidential primary, and at a time when the Democratic Party is facing a tremendous fundraising deficit, plans were being made to propose a generous compensation package for Perez and such a select group of his top deputies.
"I think it is completely short-sighted and really stupid," one senior official said.
CHAI TIMES … "Russian President Putin signed decree to pardon Naama Issachar," via JERUSALEM POST: Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Wednesday to pardon Naama Issachar, who was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for possession and smuggling of drugs, the Kremlin [said] in a statement …
Issachar, 26, is an Israeli-American who was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison in Russia after 9.5 grams of cannabis were found in [her] suitcase during a stopover in Moscow en route home to Israel from a trip to India.
CNN MAKES IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION TO TRUMP VICTORY … "RNC Releases Ad Showing CNN Panel Mocking Trump Voters as ‘Rubes’: ‘They Think You’re a Joke’," via NRO: The Republican National Committee released an ad on Tuesday using footage of a CNN contributor mocking Trump voters as "credulous rubes." …
In the CNN segment, contributor Rick Wilson says the Trump administration is "defined by ignorance of the world" and referred to the "credulous boomer rube demo that backs Donald Trump." Anchor Don Lemon bends over laughing in response to Wilson’s jibes.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER … "Tlaib Donor Praised Terror Backer Who Called for New Holocaust," by WFB’s Camerone Cawthorne: 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 …
In 2016, Sarsour posted a clip on his personal Facebook page of al-Qaradawi speaking … 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."
DOZENS OF VOTES AT STAKE … "Supporting Sanders a Bridge Too Far for (Some) Never Trump Republicans," by WFB’s Andrew Stiles: 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.
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW: 1,145. 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--2020-01-31--CNN Anchors: Democrats ‘Look Like They’re in Trouble’ on Witnesses Vote

CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper said Senate Democrats look like they are in trouble as the vote to decide whether or not to call additional witnesses in the impeachment trial approaches .
`` They need four Republicans .
Right now , the Democrats look like they 're in trouble , '' Blitzer said .
`` They sure do , '' Tapper responded .
Tapper said Sen. Lamar Alexander 's ( R. , Tenn. ) submission of an impeachment question along with two `` Trump stalwarts , '' Sens .
Ted Cruz ( R. , Texas ) and Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , indicated that the Democrats may have lost Alexander 's swing vote on calling witnesses .
`` The question was , please compare the bipartisanship in the Nixon impeachment , the Clinton impeachment , and the Trump impeachment .
One of the very many loaded questions , in which they 're actually just trying to make a point , '' Tapper said .
`` I think it 's almost been a return to the beginning of the week before the big New York Times bombshell about the Bolton book where the Republicans are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not make any mistakes , '' CNN analyst Jeffrey Toobin said .
Toobin added that there seems to be more confidence in the Republican camp on the question of calling witnesses .
He said that the Republicans `` certainly are ahead '' on the issue of whether or not President Trump will be acquitted .
Four hours of closing arguments are planned for Friday afternoon before the vote on whether or not to call additional witnesses .
If the vote fails , then an up-or-down vote will occur on the two articles @ @ @

CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper said Senate Democrats look like they are in trouble as the vote to decide whether or not to call additional witnesses in the impeachment trial approaches.
"They need four Republicans. Right now, the Democrats look like they're in trouble," Blitzer said.
"They sure do," Tapper responded.
Tapper said Sen. Lamar Alexander's (R., Tenn.) submission of an impeachment question along with two "Trump stalwarts," Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) and Steve Daines (R., Mont.), indicated that the Democrats may have lost Alexander's swing vote on calling witnesses.
"The question was, please compare the bipartisanship in the Nixon impeachment, the Clinton impeachment, and the Trump impeachment. One of the very many loaded questions, in which they're actually just trying to make a point," Tapper said.
"I think it's almost been a return to the beginning of the week before the big New York Times bombshell about the Bolton book where the Republicans are just trying to run out the clock and not make any mistakes," CNN analyst Jeffrey Toobin said.
Toobin added that there seems to be more confidence in the Republican camp on the question of calling witnesses. He said that the Republicans "certainly are ahead" on the issue of whether or not President Trump will be acquitted.
Four hours of closing arguments are planned for Friday afternoon before the vote on whether or not to call additional witnesses. If the vote fails, then an up-or-down vote will occur on the two articles of impeachment.


freebeacon--2020-02-03--Biden to Reporter: ‘You Do Not Know What You’re Talking About’ on Hunter

Joe Biden dismissed a female reporter 's question about his son 's lucrative Ukrainian dealings , as Iowa voters gather for the first 2020 primary caucus .
NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie asked the former vice president whether Burisma , a Ukrainian energy giant , paid Hunter Biden hundreds of thousands of dollars `` because that company wanted access to you . ''
`` Well that 's not true .
You 're saying things—you do not know what you 're talking about , '' Biden said .
`` No one 's said that .
Who said that ?
Who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything wrong with his dealings in Ukraine except they say it sets a bad image , '' he added .
`` Do you agree that it sets a bad image ? ''
Guthrie said .
`` Yeah .
And my son said that , '' Biden said .
Hunter 's position on the board of Burisma is at the center of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump .
Republicans had floated the possibility of calling Hunter to testify before voting 51-49 to move forward without additional witnesses .
Guthrie asked Biden if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear `` kind of sleazy '' to people on the outside .
Biden responded Hunter is a `` very bright guy '' who has said he regrets taking the position with the company .
`` He said he regretted having done it .
Speaks for himself .
He 's a grown man , '' he said .
In an October interview , Hunter Biden acknowledged that being the son of the vice president of the United States helped his business career .
`` I do n't think that there 's a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life if my last name was n't Biden , '' Hunter said .
The final vote in the impeachment trial is expected to take place Wednesday .

'He said he regretted having done it. Speaks for himself. He's a grown man'
Joe Biden dismissed a female reporter's question about his son's lucrative Ukrainian dealings, as Iowa voters gather for the first 2020 primary caucus.
NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie asked the former vice president whether Burisma, a Ukrainian energy giant, paid Hunter Biden hundreds of thousands of dollars "because that company wanted access to you."
"Well that's not true. You're saying things—you do not know what you're talking about," Biden said. "No one's said that. Who said that? Who said that?
"No one's found anything wrong with his dealings in Ukraine except they say it sets a bad image," he added.
"Do you agree that it sets a bad image?" Guthrie said.
"Yeah. And my son said that," Biden said.
Hunter's position on the board of Burisma is at the center of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Republicans had floated the possibility of calling Hunter to testify before voting 51-49 to move forward without additional witnesses.
Guthrie asked Biden if he thought Hunter getting the job would appear "kind of sleazy" to people on the outside. Biden responded Hunter is a "very bright guy" who has said he regrets taking the position with the company.
"He said he regretted having done it. Speaks for himself. He's a grown man," he said.
In an October interview, Hunter Biden acknowledged that being the son of the vice president of the United States helped his business career.
"I don't think that there's a lot of things that would have happened in my life if my last name wasn't Biden," Hunter said.
The final vote in the impeachment trial is expected to take place Wednesday.


Beacon Extra

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 .
GRACEFUL IN DEFEAT … `` Democrats : Trump ’ s Acquittal Doesn ’ t Count , '' by WFB ’ s David Rutz : Leading Democrats have already said President Donald Trump 's pending acquittal in his impeachment trial is not legitimate due to Friday 's vote against admitting new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Calif. ) said Thursday Trump will `` not be acquitted '' if his trial does n't have witnesses , and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) has repeatedly said Trump 's acquittal will have `` zero '' value .
KULAK HAS CHAMPAGNE TASTES … `` Bernie Leads 2020 Field in Private Jet Spending , '' by WFB ’ s Brent Scher : The most recent filing from [ Sen. Bernie ] Sanders reveals $ 1,199,579 in spending during the final three months of 2019 to Apollo Jets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charter service . ''
… Entering the final quarter of 2019 , the Sanders campaign had purchased $ 9,030 worth of carbon offsets … Michael Bloomberg , who pumped a whopping $ 200 million of his personal fortune into his campaign 's opening weeks , spent about $ 646,000 on private jet travel , about half of what Sanders spent .
PANIC !
AT THE SH*TSHOW … `` Rahm to Bernie Backers : Democrats Can Win Without You , '' by WFB ’ s Paul Crookston : Rahm Emanuel said Sunday that Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a reasonable candidate than committing to a strategy of turning out progressive voters by nominating Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) .
SHOWDOWN IN THE OLD DOMINION … `` How Virginia Became the Front Line in the Fight Over Guns , '' by WFB ’ s Stephen Gutowski : Democratic groups poured a record $ 13 million into the state 's elections last year .
[ Michael ] Bloomberg-backed groups outspent the National Rifle Association by an 8-1 margin , helping Democrats capture narrow majorities in both the House of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversies that have erupted across the state since then come as the members of the newly ascendant Democratic majority find themselves caught between the campaign donors who helped them secure control in Richmond and local residents angered by the gun-control proposals offered by those groups and the Democrats they backed .
BLOOMBERG BUYS DNC … `` Michael Moore : DNC Changing Rules To Allow ‘ Billionaire Republican Mayor Of NYC ’ Mike Bloomberg On Debate Stage , '' via RCP : `` The fact that the Democratic , the DNC will not allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not allow Julian Castro on that stage , but they are going to allow Mike Bloomberg on the stage ?
Because he has a billion fucking dollars ! ''
Moore raged .
Sanders campaign co-chair Nina Turner said this week that the addition of former Clinton staffer John Podesta to the DNC Convention Committee was a `` slap in the face . ''
WON ’ T APOLOGIZE FOR BLOOD LIBEL , BUT … `` Rep. Rashida Tlaib Apologizes After Booing Hillary Clinton at Bernie Sanders Campaign Event , '' via TIME : Tlaib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vermont senator as he remains in Washington for President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial , and the event came after recent comments by Clinton made dismissing Sanders and his campaign … On Saturday , Tlaib apologized for the affair on Twitter , saying that she was `` frustrated by attempts to dismiss the strength and diversity '' of the movement supporting Sanders and that she allowed her `` disappointment '' with Clinton ’ s comments about Sanders to `` get the best of me . ''
CHICOM VIRUS GOES GLOBAL … `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Toll Grows , '' via WSJ : The newly identified coronavirus claimed its first life outside China , as the number of U.S. cases ticked up to eight and the Pentagon said it was setting up quarantine centers for travelers who screened positive for the illness … The number of cases has expanded dramatically around the world to more than 20 countries .
There are now nearly 15,000 cases of the virus in China , resulting in more than 300 deaths overall .
Some 150 people outside China have been sickened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Streatham terror attacker freed from jail and on police watchlist , '' via GUARDIAN : The man shot dead by police after he stabbed two people in London on Sunday left prison only days ago and had previously been noted by police as having a `` fascination with dying in the name of terrorism , '' it emerged last night .
Sudesh Amman , whose attack on Streatham High Road left one person in a life-threatening condition , was under active police surveillance at the time of the attack .
He had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of more than three years for the possession and distribution of extremist material .
THE STUPID BOWL … `` Jemele Hill Resorts to Criticizing Trump Supporter Nick Bosa for Who He Follows on Social Media , '' via BREITBART : The day before 49ers defensive end and Trump supporter Nick Bosa geared up to take on the Chiefs in the Super Bowl , former ESPN anchor Jemele Hill launched a broadside at the Niner defender for apparently following a private Instagram account that joked about the death of Laker legend Kobe Bryant .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that was trashing Bosa to her 1.2 million followers and calling on him to stop being `` secretive '' about who he follows on social media , Hill said she ’ s not here to `` police '' Bosa ’ s social media behavior .
THE VIEW FROM TEHRAN … `` I Am Not A Bernie Bro , '' by WFB Guest Writer Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani : Before the Great Satan 's wicked missiles assassinated him , [ Qassem ] Soleimani was keeping a close eye on the upcoming caucuses in Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers from publicly endorsing U.S. political candidates , but Soleimani was what you might call a `` Bernie Bro . ''
… Just look at Sanders 's team .
They 've got Matt Duss , whose work to liberate al-Quds from the evil Zionists has not gone unnoticed in Qom .
More important , Bernie has great instincts … There 's just one problem : He is a Jew .
Do I really need to spell this out ?
Just read the Koran .
If the Jews were not good enough for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then they are not good enough for me .
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 1,149 .
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.
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.


freebeacon--2020-02-03--I Am Not A Bernie Bro

I Am Not A Bernie Bro

Here ’ s something that might surprise you : Qassem Soleimani , may Allah give him the peace of a thousand martyrs , really loved American politics .
He read Axios , watched Morning Joe , and forwarded Vox articles with a passion .
He used to fire off angry emails to staff demanding to know why Nate Silver still had a job .
During one of many conference calls with John Kerry , Ben Rhodes , and Javad Zarif , he corrected the secretary of state on how many delegates Nevada would send to the Republican convention .
General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cascade gracefully upon him , was keeping a close eye on the upcoming caucuses in Iowa before being martyred by the Great Satan 's wicked missiles .
Iranian electoral law prohibits Quds Force officers from publicly endorsing U.S. political candidates , but Soleimani was what you might call a `` Bernie Bro . ''
The socialist from Vermont has been on Qassem ’ s radar since 1980 , when Sanders joined our friends in the Socialist Workers Party , the only political party in America that had the stones to defend our revolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1979 .
More recently , the general asked me to convey a message to something called `` Chapo Trap House , '' to see if they would do a live show for the troops in Aleppo ( Qassem also loved podcasts ) but we could n't afford them .
It 's easy to see why our late general , may Allah 's almighty virgin harem sate his lusty soul , was `` feeling the Bern '' as the kids say .
Just look at the campaign team Sanders has assembled .
They 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberate al-Quds from the evil Zionists has not gone unnoticed in Qom .
More important , Bernie has great instincts .
All the Democrats talk about ending endless wars .
So does Donald Trump .
Bernie really means it , we are told .
From Nicaragua to Cuba , Bernie has been on the right side of history .
As the man who has to follow in the footsteps of our martyr Qassem , may the tender figs of The Prophet dance eternally upon his tongue , you might think I would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s certainly a popular view inside the Quds Force .
All the younger officers are trying to be mini Qassem Soleimanis , volunteering to train new insurgent groups , or make calls to likely New Hampshire voters at the Soros phone bank in Tehran .
Well , not me .
Bernie is great on paper .
There 's just one problem : He is a Jew .
Do I really need to spell this out ?
Just read the Koran .
If the Jews were not good enough for The Prophet ( peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not good enough for me .
I do n't care if Bernie Sanders promises to lift all the sanctions and give us state-of-the-art centrifuges .
So did Barack Obama !
We trusted Obama even though he was a Sunni .
At least he was a Muslim .
He was also a man of science , and when it comes to the Jews , the science is clear : They ca n't be trusted .
The Rev .
Jeremiah Wright would agree .
This is the Islamic Republic of Iran .
That used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't hold the line against the Jews , who will ?
Now I 'm not saying General Soleimani , may his severed body reassemble in the righteous kingdom of Allah , got what he deserved when the American CIA assassinated him .
But I have to wonder if this was not Allah 's will .
He knew that our great general was getting soft .
He saw Soleimani spending late nights at the office binge-watching YouTube videos of Bernie 's `` billionaires and millionaires '' speeches .
After a while , that kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to you .
So who do I like in the Democratic primary ?
For now , I 'm leaning Buttigieg .
While it would be a great humiliation for the Great Satan to have a woman president , a gay president would be an even greater humiliation .
That 's at least what Khamenei is telling us .
Nate Silver does n't think he has much of a shot , for what that 's worth .

Here’s something that might surprise you: Qassem Soleimani, may Allah give him the peace of a thousand martyrs, really loved American politics. He read Axios, watched Morning Joe, and forwarded Vox articles with a passion. He used to fire off angry emails to staff demanding to know why Nate Silver still had a job. During one of many conference calls with John Kerry, Ben Rhodes, and Javad Zarif, he corrected the secretary of state on how many delegates Nevada would send to the Republican convention.
General Soleimani, may Allah's eternal essence cascade gracefully upon him, was keeping a close eye on the upcoming caucuses in Iowa before being martyred by the Great Satan's wicked missiles. Iranian electoral law prohibits Quds Force officers from publicly endorsing U.S. political candidates, but Soleimani was what you might call a "Bernie Bro."
The socialist from Vermont has been on Qassem’s radar since 1980, when Sanders joined our friends in the Socialist Workers Party, the only political party in America that had the stones to defend our revolution against the American nest of spies in 1979. More recently, the general asked me to convey a message to something called "Chapo Trap House," to see if they would do a live show for the troops in Aleppo (Qassem also loved podcasts) but we couldn't afford them.
It's easy to see why our late general, may Allah's almighty virgin harem sate his lusty soul, was "feeling the Bern" as the kids say. Just look at the campaign team Sanders has assembled. They've got Matt Duss, whose work to liberate al-Quds from the evil Zionists has not gone unnoticed in Qom. More important, Bernie has great instincts. All the Democrats talk about ending endless wars. So does Donald Trump. Bernie really means it, we are told. From Nicaragua to Cuba, Bernie has been on the right side of history.
As the man who has to follow in the footsteps of our martyr Qassem, may the tender figs of The Prophet dance eternally upon his tongue, you might think I would also be a Bernie Bro. It’s certainly a popular view inside the Quds Force. All the younger officers are trying to be mini Qassem Soleimanis, volunteering to train new insurgent groups, or make calls to likely New Hampshire voters at the Soros phone bank in Tehran.
Well, not me.
Bernie is great on paper. There's just one problem: He is a Jew. Do I really need to spell this out? Just read the Koran. If the Jews were not good enough for The Prophet (peace be upon him), then they are not good enough for me. I don't care if Bernie Sanders promises to lift all the sanctions and give us state-of-the-art centrifuges. So did Barack Obama! We trusted Obama even though he was a Sunni. At least he was a Muslim. He was also a man of science, and when it comes to the Jews, the science is clear: They can't be trusted. The Rev. Jeremiah Wright would agree. This is the Islamic Republic of Iran. That used to mean something. If we don't hold the line against the Jews, who will?
Now I'm not saying General Soleimani, may his severed body reassemble in the righteous kingdom of Allah, got what he deserved when the American CIA assassinated him. But I have to wonder if this was not Allah's will. He knew that our great general was getting soft. He saw Soleimani spending late nights at the office binge-watching YouTube videos of Bernie's "billionaires and millionaires" speeches. After a while, that kind of thing is going to catch up to you.
So who do I like in the Democratic primary? For now, I'm leaning Buttigieg. While it would be a great humiliation for the Great Satan to have a woman president, a gay president would be an even greater humiliation. That's at least what Khamenei is telling us. Nate Silver doesn't think he has much of a shot, for what that's worth.


freebeacon--2020-02-02--Rahm to Bernie Backers: Democrats Can Win Without You

Former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel said Sunday that Democrats are better off appealing to swing voters with a reasonable candidate than committing to a strategy of turning out progressive voters by nominating Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) .
`` Here 's what I think is a real challenge for Democrats on the eve of Iowa : What is the bigger threat for our party ?
Are we going to nominate somebody that ca n't win , or are we going to risk a rupture in the party that is irreparable ? ''
he said .
`` In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and in 2018 , the Democrats showed a formula for winning nationally .
The question is are we going to follow that formula or throw the playbook out and try something different ? ''
Emanuel said Sanders is playing the same political game as President Donald Trump by focusing on his base .
`` I 'll say one thing about Bernie Sanders : His playbook is no different from Donald Trump 's , '' Emanuel said .
`` Both rely on the fact that you do n't need fickle swing voters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base and energize the people that should vote for you , you can win . ''
He also argued that the Sanders strategy could lead to losing Electoral College again because Democrats will have focused on energizing already committed progressive voters instead of getting swing voters .

Former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel said Sunday that Democrats are better off appealing to swing voters with a reasonable candidate than committing to a strategy of turning out progressive voters by nominating Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
"Here's what I think is a real challenge for Democrats on the eve of Iowa: What is the bigger threat for our party? Are we going to nominate somebody that can't win, or are we going to risk a rupture in the party that is irreparable?" he said. "In 1992, '96, 2008, 2012, and in 2018, the Democrats showed a formula for winning nationally. The question is are we going to follow that formula or throw the playbook out and try something different?"
Emanuel said Sanders is playing the same political game as President Donald Trump by focusing on his base.
"I'll say one thing about Bernie Sanders: His playbook is no different from Donald Trump's," Emanuel said. "Both rely on the fact that you don't need fickle swing voters, that if you just talk to your base and energize the people that should vote for you, you can win."
He also argued that the Sanders strategy could lead to losing Electoral College again because Democrats will have focused on energizing already committed progressive voters instead of getting swing voters.


freebeacon--2020-02-02--Continetti: Liberal Media Backed Into Double Standard Over Coverage of Impeachment

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti on Sunday said the left-leaning media are `` demoralized '' and trapped by their own logic in their coverage of the Senate 's impeachment trial .
`` They 're kind of backed into this double standard , which we often see .
If the trial was a sham , what was the impeachment ? ''
Continetti said during a panel discussion on Fox News 's MediaBuzz .
`` Because the question in the trial was , ‘ are we going to have witnesses ? '
And the witnesses in question that they wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Continetti also pointed out the media 's double standard in its treatment of President Donald Trump 's counsel compared with the House Democrats ' impeachment managers , especially Rep. Adam Schiff ( D. , Calif. ) .
`` [ Patrick ] Philbin is just as good a lawyer as Schiff , but Schiff gets all the positive coverage , '' Continetti said .
The mainstream media and liberal commentators have been quick to praise Schiff 's performance , the Free Beacon recently reported , with talking heads arguing he would be remembered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he was `` dazzling , '' `` masterful , '' `` very , very good , '' and `` awfully impressive . ''

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti on Sunday said the left-leaning media are "demoralized" and trapped by their own logic in their coverage of the Senate's impeachment trial.
"They're kind of backed into this double standard, which we often see. If the trial was a sham, what was the impeachment?" Continetti said during a panel discussion on Fox News's MediaBuzz. "Because the question in the trial was, 'are we going to have witnesses?' And the witnesses in question that they wanted weren't called by the House."
Continetti also pointed out the media's double standard in its treatment of President Donald Trump's counsel compared with the House Democrats' impeachment managers, especially Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.).
"[Patrick] Philbin is just as good a lawyer as Schiff, but Schiff gets all the positive coverage," Continetti said.
The mainstream media and liberal commentators have been quick to praise Schiff's performance, the Free Beacon recently reported, with talking heads arguing he would be remembered for "generations to come" and that he was "dazzling," "masterful," "very, very good," and "awfully impressive."


freebeacon--2020-02-02--Rahm Emanuel: Bernie Is More Likely to Rupture the Party Than to Win Swing Voters

Former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel on Sunday argued that supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) could work against the party in the general election if he fails to reassure swing voters .
Emanuel argued that Sanders 's insurgent campaign could lead to a deep fissure among Democrats , many of whom support Sanders against the party establishment .
`` The fact is one of the threats to the party right now is a rupture in the core , and it played out in 2016 , '' Emanuel said on ABC 's This Week .
`` In this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have a candidate who actually reassures people that they will actually govern without this—the people do n't want four more years of this tweet chaos and conflict , and they are exhausted .
They 're not angry , which is where Democrats are .
They 're exhausted , '' Emanuel also said .
`` We as a party , to win Arizona , to win Wisconsin , to win in Michigan and Pennsylvania , and to be viable in North Carolina , need a candidate who moves those swing moderate voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the anger in the Democratic Party over President Donald Trump , Emanuel argued , which may ultimately make the Democrats less effective at the ballot box .
Emanuel , who was a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and chief of staff to President Barack Obama , penned an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend going after progressives for attacking former Democratic presidents like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton as opposed to focusing on President Donald Trump .
`` Admittedly , today 's landscape is much friendlier for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Clinton or Mr. Obama was running for office .
Yet , we risk squandering that opportunity fighting pointless battles over whether these successful presidents properly calibrated their agendas to yesterday 's limitations , '' Emanuel wrote .

Former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel on Sunday argued that supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) could work against the party in the general election if he fails to reassure swing voters.
Emanuel argued that Sanders's insurgent campaign could lead to a deep fissure among Democrats, many of whom support Sanders against the party establishment.
"The fact is one of the threats to the party right now is a rupture in the core, and it played out in 2016," Emanuel said on ABC's This Week.
"In this case, we have an opening if we have a candidate who actually reassures people that they will actually govern without this—the people don't want four more years of this tweet chaos and conflict, and they are exhausted. They're not angry, which is where Democrats are. They're exhausted," Emanuel also said. "We as a party, to win Arizona, to win Wisconsin, to win in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and to be viable in North Carolina, need a candidate who moves those swing moderate voters."
Sanders is probably the beneficiary of all the anger in the Democratic Party over President Donald Trump, Emanuel argued, which may ultimately make the Democrats less effective at the ballot box.
Emanuel, who was a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and chief of staff to President Barack Obama, penned an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend going after progressives for attacking former Democratic presidents like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton as opposed to focusing on President Donald Trump.
"Admittedly, today's landscape is much friendlier for progressive ideas than it was when either Mr. Clinton or Mr. Obama was running for office. Yet, we risk squandering that opportunity fighting pointless battles over whether these successful presidents properly calibrated their agendas to yesterday's limitations," Emanuel wrote.


freebeacon--2020-02-02--U.S. Confirms Its Eighth Case of Coronavirus; Pentagon to Provide Quarantine Housing

( Reuters ) – U.S. health officials on Saturday confirmed an eighth case of the fast-spreading new coronavirus in the United States and the Pentagon said it would provide housing for people arriving from overseas who might need to be quarantined .
The latest U.S. patient , who is in Massachusetts , recently returned from Hubei province in central China , the epicenter of the outbreak , a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) said in an emailed statement .
The person was not identified and no other details were provided .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have originated in a market that traded illegally in wildlife in Hubei ’ s provincial capital Wuhan , has so far resulted in 304 deaths in China , state broadcaster CCTV said early on Sunday in China .
Confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in 27 other nations , according to the CDC .
All but one of the patients in the United States was believed to have contracted the disease while they were traveling in the Wuhan area .
U.S. officials this week reported the first human-to-human transmission of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Concerns about the virus spurred the Trump administration to declare a public health emergency and bar entry to the United States for foreign nationals who have recently visited China .
In addition , U.S. citizens who have traveled within the past two weeks to Hubei will be subject to a mandatory quarantine of 14 days , believed to be the incubation period of the virus , officials said .
Americans who visited other parts of mainland China will undergo special health screening upon their return , followed by up to 14 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the temporary restrictions .
In a statement on Saturday , the Pentagon said Defense Secretary Mark Esper approved a request for assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services for housing support for 1,000 people who may be subject to quarantine on arrival from overseas .
Health officials had asked the Defense Department to provide several facilities capable of housing at least 250 people in individual rooms through Feb. 29 .
The Pentagon said four military installations have been selected : two in California , one in Colorado , and one in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would only provide housing support and HHS would be responsible for all care and transportation .
`` DOD personnel will not be directly in contact with the evacuees and evacuees will not have access to any base location other than their assigned housing , '' the Pentagon said .
The first quarantines of U.S. citizens potentially exposed to coronavirus in China began hours before the White House announcement on Friday .
Nearly 200 Americans evacuated earlier this week from Wuhan and voluntarily confined to a California military air base for 72 hours of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-day quarantine on Friday .
By Saturday afternoon , none of those quarantined showed any symptoms of having the virus , said Jose Arballo , a spokesman for the public health department in Riverside County , where the air base is located .
He said test results were still pending .
The order to keep the Americans on the base marked the CDC ’ s first mandatory quarantine for decades .
`` Since this hasn ’ t been done in 51 years there ’ s quite the scramble to work through all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security ( DHS ) official said , adding that the last mandatory quarantine was ordered to fight smallpox .
The official , who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter , said DHS personnel would take over running medical screenings at airports this weekend to free up their CDC counterparts for other tasks .
State and local authorities will likely play a role with mandatory quarantines , the official said , which could mean `` a lot of variance across the country for how it gets implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department was scrambling and said it has been working on these plans since last summer , when it began contracting medical professionals and readying quarantine and health screening plans in case it had to ramp up for the Ebola outbreak .
`` We were able to quickly tailor those plans and contracts to the coronavirus , '' said the spokeswoman , Heather Swift .
Swift said state and local officials are always involved in public health and emergency response , but that there is a uniform standard .
`` All passengers who receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in quarantine .
Those who show no symptoms will be sent home on self-quarantine , '' she said .
Nearly 12,000 people have been infected globally by the virus , according to the WHO , with all but just over 130 of those cases occurring in China .
U.S. health officials have said risks to the United States remain low .
Reporting by Brad Brooks in Austin , Texas ; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali , Lucia Mutikani and Ted Hesson in Washington ; Editing by Bill Berkrot , Sonya Hepinstall and Daniel @

By Brad Brooks
(Reuters) - U.S. health officials on Saturday confirmed an eighth case of the fast-spreading new coronavirus in the United States and the Pentagon said it would provide housing for people arriving from overseas who might need to be quarantined.
The latest U.S. patient, who is in Massachusetts, recently returned from Hubei province in central China, the epicenter of the outbreak, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an emailed statement. The person was not identified and no other details were provided.
The flu-like coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in a market that traded illegally in wildlife in Hubei’s provincial capital Wuhan, has so far resulted in 304 deaths in China, state broadcaster CCTV said early on Sunday in China. Confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in 27 other nations, according to the CDC.
All but one of the patients in the United States was believed to have contracted the disease while they were traveling in the Wuhan area. U.S. officials this week reported the first human-to-human transmission of the disease in the United States in Illinois.
Concerns about the virus spurred the Trump administration to declare a public health emergency and bar entry to the United States for foreign nationals who have recently visited China.
In addition, U.S. citizens who have traveled within the past two weeks to Hubei will be subject to a mandatory quarantine of 14 days, believed to be the incubation period of the virus, officials said.
Americans who visited other parts of mainland China will undergo special health screening upon their return, followed by up to 14 days of "monitored self-quarantine," under the temporary restrictions.
In a statement on Saturday, the Pentagon said Defense Secretary Mark Esper approved a request for assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services for housing support for 1,000 people who may be subject to quarantine on arrival from overseas.
Health officials had asked the Defense Department to provide several facilities capable of housing at least 250 people in individual rooms through Feb. 29.
The Pentagon said four military installations have been selected: two in California, one in Colorado, and one in Texas. It said Defense Department personnel would only provide housing support and HHS would be responsible for all care and transportation.
"DOD personnel will not be directly in contact with the evacuees and evacuees will not have access to any base location other than their assigned housing," the Pentagon said.
QUARANTINE PROCEDURES
The first quarantines of U.S. citizens potentially exposed to coronavirus in China began hours before the White House announcement on Friday.
Nearly 200 Americans evacuated earlier this week from Wuhan and voluntarily confined to a California military air base for 72 hours of health screenings were placed under a mandatory 14-day quarantine on Friday.
By Saturday afternoon, none of those quarantined showed any symptoms of having the virus, said Jose Arballo, a spokesman for the public health department in Riverside County, where the air base is located. He said test results were still pending.
The order to keep the Americans on the base marked the CDC’s first mandatory quarantine for decades.
"Since this hasn’t been done in 51 years there’s quite the scramble to work through all the procedures," a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official said, adding that the last mandatory quarantine was ordered to fight smallpox.
The official, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, said DHS personnel would take over running medical screenings at airports this weekend to free up their CDC counterparts for other tasks.
State and local authorities will likely play a role with mandatory quarantines, the official said, which could mean "a lot of variance across the country for how it gets implemented."
A DHS spokeswoman denied the department was scrambling and said it has been working on these plans since last summer, when it began contracting medical professionals and readying quarantine and health screening plans in case it had to ramp up for the Ebola outbreak.
"We were able to quickly tailor those plans and contracts to the coronavirus," said the spokeswoman, Heather Swift.
Swift said state and local officials are always involved in public health and emergency response, but that there is a uniform standard. "All passengers who receive a positive symptoms screening will be placed in quarantine. Those who show no symptoms will be sent home on self-quarantine," she said.
Nearly 12,000 people have been infected globally by the virus, according to the WHO, with all but just over 130 of those cases occurring in China.
U.S. health officials have said risks to the United States remain low.
Reporting by Brad Brooks in Austin, Texas; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali, Lucia Mutikani and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Sonya Hepinstall and Daniel Wallis


freebeacon--2020-02-02--Dem Rep: Hate to See ‘Disrespectful’ Tlaib Boo Hillary Clinton, a ‘Pioneer for Women’

`` I hate to see something like that that 's going on within our own party .
I find it to be disrespectful , '' Axne said about Tlaib 's appearance at a rally for Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) .
`` Certainly , Hillary Clinton was a pioneer for women running for office and for standing up for our Democratic values that are important for this country . ''
Axne , who has endorsed former vice president Joe Biden , argued on CNN 's State of the Union that Iowans will not be pleased with how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as she has campaigned for Sanders .
`` I do n't think that kind of behavior is something that Iowans like to see , and I certainly know that Iowans believe in the term ‘ Iowa nice , ' '' Axne said .
`` We want to support our neighbors … even though we might not agree with them , while we 're sitting in the room and it can be very contentious .
That type of behavior does n't go over well in Iowa . ''
The Sanders rally on Friday featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interview Clinton recently gave , in which she said that nobody likes Sanders and other politicians try to avoid working with him .
A chorus of boos from the crowd interrupted the aide before she could finish .
`` We 're not gon na boo , we 're not gon na boo , we 're classy here , '' the aide said .
`` No , no I 'll boo .
Boo ! ''
Tlaib said .
`` You all know I ca n't be quiet .
No , we 're gon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up on Monday when we win . ''
Tlaib 's colleagues and fellow progressives Reps. Ilhan Omar ( D. , Minn. ) and Pramila Jayapal ( D. , Wash. ) laughed , and the crowd cheered in response .

Rep. Cynthia Axne (D., Iowa) expressed her disappointment Sunday with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) booing twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
"I hate to see something like that that's going on within our own party. I find it to be disrespectful," Axne said about Tlaib's appearance at a rally for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.). "Certainly, Hillary Clinton was a pioneer for women running for office and for standing up for our Democratic values that are important for this country."
Axne, who has endorsed former vice president Joe Biden, argued on CNN's State of the Union that Iowans will not be pleased with how Tlaib has sowed division within the party as she has campaigned for Sanders.
"I don't think that kind of behavior is something that Iowans like to see, and I certainly know that Iowans believe in the term 'Iowa nice,'" Axne said. "We want to support our neighbors ... even though we might not agree with them, while we're sitting in the room and it can be very contentious. That type of behavior doesn't go over well in Iowa."
The Sanders rally on Friday featured a question from a campaign aide about an interview Clinton recently gave, in which she said that nobody likes Sanders and other politicians try to avoid working with him. A chorus of boos from the crowd interrupted the aide before she could finish.
"We're not gonna boo, we're not gonna boo, we're classy here," the aide said.
"No, no I'll boo. Boo!" Tlaib said. "You all know I can't be quiet. No, we're gonna boo. The haters will shut up on Monday when we win."
BREAKING: At a @BernieSanders rally in Iowa tonight, a leading Sanders’ surrogate @RashidaTlaib led the crowd in booing @HillaryClinton. pic.twitter.com/AKdi2psI2h — Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) February 1, 2020
Tlaib's colleagues and fellow progressives Reps. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) and Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) laughed, and the crowd cheered in response.


freebeacon--2020-02-02--CNN Anchor Calls Out Biden for Not Doing Any Sunday News Shows

CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday called out former vice president Joe Biden for not doing any interviews on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ Democratic primary .
`` I want to note I fully appreciate you coming in and @ @ @ @ @ Tapper said to Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg .
`` Vice President Biden has yet @ @ @ @ @ interview .
You have done—I ca n't even count how many times you have agreed @ @ @ @ @ thank you for taking our questions . ''
Tapper is not the first CNN anchor @ @ @ @ @ for his conspicuous absence from Sunday news shows .
CNN 's Brian Stelter noted in @ @ @ @ @ appeared on a Sunday news show in 2019 .
`` Biden has never sat down @ @ @ @ @ all year long , '' the Reliable Sources anchor said .
`` I wonder if @ @ @ @ @ combat Trump . ''
Biden has not appeared on a Sunday news show in 1,148 @ @

CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday called out former vice president Joe Biden for not doing any interviews on Sunday news shows since entering the Democratic primary.
"I want to note I fully appreciate you coming in and taking our questions," Tapper said to Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. "Vice President Biden has yet to do a Sunday show interview. You have done—I can't even count how many times you have agreed to do interviews, so thank you for taking our questions."
Tapper is not the first CNN anchor to take Biden to task for his conspicuous absence from Sunday news shows. CNN's Brian Stelter noted in September that Biden had not appeared on a Sunday news show in 2019.
"Biden has never sat down for a Sunday show interview all year long," the Reliable Sources anchor said. "I wonder if they are doing enough to combat Trump."
Biden has not appeared on a Sunday news show in 1,148 days.


freebeacon--2020-02-01--Bernie Leads 2020 Field in Private Jet Spending

The Bernie Sanders campaign spent just under $ 1.2 million on private jet travel last quarter , outpacing the entire 2020 Democratic presidential primary field .
The most recent filing from Sanders reveals $ 1,199,579 in spending during the final three months of 2019 to Apollo Jets , LLC , a `` luxury private jet charter service . ''
The campaign spent an additional $ 23,941 for transportation to Virginia-based Advanced Aviation Team .
The candidate who comes closest to matching Sanders in private jet spending was former vice president Joe Biden , whose campaign spent $ 1,040,698 to Advanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of private jet spending in filings from other top candidates found that Elizabeth Warren 's campaign spent $ 720,518 and Pete Buttigieg 's campaign spent $ 323,518 .
Michael Bloomberg , who pumped a whopping $ 200 million of his personal fortune into his campaign 's opening weeks , spent about $ 646,000 on private jet travel , about half of what Sanders spent .
Sanders has long leaned on private air travel on the campaign trail , despite his belief that limiting carbon emissions from the transportation sector is crucial to combating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is estimated to produce roughly eight times the amount of carbon per passenger as traveling by commercial airliner .
`` Global climate change is real , it is caused mainly by emissions released from burning fossil fuels and it poses a catastrophic threat to the long-term longevity of our planet , '' he writes on his campaign website .
`` The transportation sector accounts for about 26 percent of carbon pollution emissions . ''
Sanders further claims on his website that `` climate change is the single greatest threat facing our planet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up its use of private jet travel in recent weeks , chartering flights to get him back and forth between his duties in the U.S. Senate and the campaign trail in Iowa .
The Sanders campaign had previously spent about $ 380,000 on private air travel , also with Apollo Jets , LLC , according to previous campaign disclosures .
The Sanders campaign says the environmental impact of its private jet use is mitigated by the purchase of carbon offsets , which it purchases from NativeEnergy .
Entering the final quarter of 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9,030 worth of carbon offsets .
It purchased an additional $ 23,200 in carbon offsets from NativeEnergy this past quarter , the most recent filing shows .
Alternatively , Amtrak offers service from D.C. to Iowa , which would cost Sanders $ 149 using the senior discount .
UPDATE 11:00 p.m. : This piece has been updated with additional information on carbon offset purchases .

The Bernie Sanders campaign spent just under $1.2 million on private jet travel last quarter, outpacing the entire 2020 Democratic presidential primary field.
The most recent filing from Sanders reveals $1,199,579 in spending during the final three months of 2019 to Apollo Jets, LLC, a "luxury private jet charter service." The campaign spent an additional $23,941 for transportation to Virginia-based Advanced Aviation Team.
The candidate who comes closest to matching Sanders in private jet spending was former vice president Joe Biden, whose campaign spent $1,040,698 to Advanced Aviation Team last quarter.
An analysis of private jet spending in filings from other top candidates found that Elizabeth Warren's campaign spent $720,518 and Pete Buttigieg's campaign spent $323,518. Michael Bloomberg, who pumped a whopping $200 million of his personal fortune into his campaign's opening weeks, spent about $646,000 on private jet travel, about half of what Sanders spent.
Sanders has long leaned on private air travel on the campaign trail, despite his belief that limiting carbon emissions from the transportation sector is crucial to combating climate change. Traveling by private jet is estimated to produce roughly eight times the amount of carbon per passenger as traveling by commercial airliner.
"Global climate change is real, it is caused mainly by emissions released from burning fossil fuels and it poses a catastrophic threat to the long-term longevity of our planet," he writes on his campaign website. "The transportation sector accounts for about 26 percent of carbon pollution emissions."
Sanders further claims on his website that "climate change is the single greatest threat facing our planet."
The Sanders campaign has reportedly stepped up its use of private jet travel in recent weeks, chartering flights to get him back and forth between his duties in the U.S. Senate and the campaign trail in Iowa.
The Sanders campaign had previously spent about $380,000 on private air travel, also with Apollo Jets, LLC, according to previous campaign disclosures.
The Sanders campaign says the environmental impact of its private jet use is mitigated by the purchase of carbon offsets, which it purchases from NativeEnergy. Entering the final quarter of 2019, the Sanders campaign had purchased $9,030 worth of carbon offsets. It purchased an additional $23,200 in carbon offsets from NativeEnergy this past quarter, the most recent filing shows.
Alternatively, Amtrak offers service from D.C. to Iowa, which would cost Sanders $149 using the senior discount.
UPDATE 11:00 p.m.: This piece has been updated with additional information on carbon offset purchases.


freebeacon--2020-02-01--Review: ‘Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words’

Clarence Thomas quietly occupies a unique place in American life .
Anyone who ascends to the nation ’ s highest court is , by definition , special , but that undersells Thomas .
He ’ s been at the center of the culture war and the debate over the soul of the Constitution—not exactly two minor issues .
If that weren ’ t enough , Thomas ’ s life growing up black in Georgia gives him the quintessential American success story , even as he has been vilified by the American elite .
And in a period characterized by reevaluating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been uniquely targeted with racist smears .
Prominent public figures—and not just anonymous internet trolls—have attacked Thomas on racial grounds .
It ’ s material suited for an inspiring Hollywood movie centering on the black experience in America , akin to recent releases Just Mercy and Harriet .
But that ’ s unthinkable to the elites who have so reviled Thomas for the entirety of his public life .
Thankfully , we now have a definitive documentary covering Thomas ’ s life in director Michael Pack ’ s Created Equal : Clarence Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 30 hours of interview footage , Created Equal knocks down myths about Thomas one after another : that he is an intellectual lightweight , that he doesn ’ t express his views , that his hardscrabble origins are a narrative contrivance , and more .
The idea that Thomas has no jurisprudential `` content '' is a persistent one .
Racist cartoons showed him as a servant at the feet of the late Antonin Scalia , a fellow originalist , but that picture ignores the reams of opinions Thomas has authored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s somehow painted as a slouch copying others ’ work .
The lazy black man is hardly a new idea in the annals of smear campaigns , but Thomas has been the target of something much more bizarre : the charge that his upbringing was contrived to get him confirmed .
Few could see the pictures of his shack in Pin Point , Ga. , and the slums in Savannah , then hear him describe the wonder of seeing his grandparents ’ home with a functioning bathroom and modern appliances , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson worked him and his brother silly in the city and on the farm , and the lessons learned are fresh in his mind—not just because he looms over his office in the form of a stoic bust .
In light of his experience at the bottom rung of society , it ’ s striking how much of the elite opinion about Thomas uses directly racist language and imagery .
A former Jimmy Carter aide writing in Playboy called him the heir of the `` chicken eating preachers '' who kowtowed to segregationists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a slave or even a Klansman .
His critics in elite media , such as Jeffrey Toobin , argue he ’ s the product of affirmative action , a charge of such transparent prejudice that it ’ s inconceivable it could be made about Thomas were he a judicial liberal .
The way Created Equal blows these images apart is simply by showing Thomas ’ s actual journey , as a man and as a jurist .
That journey took him from seminary to the ranks of black radicals , then through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican attorney general and had a `` road to Damascus moment '' about his leftist assumptions about the justice system .
Later he joined the Reagan administration and eventually became a federal judge , all while building a philosophy on the Constitution and politics according to Christian principles and natural law .
With all due respect to Brett Kavanaugh , Thomas ’ s hearings were the original Supreme Court circus .
He took abuse from NOW , the NAACP , and other liberal activist groups bent on borking him .
None of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for want of passion .
Joe Biden provides the movie an amusing interlude , rambling about natural law in an attempt to brand Thomas as an extremist on abortion .
( That draws the most acerbic line Thomas has in Created Equal : `` One of the things you do in hearings is you have to sit there and look attentively at people you know have no idea what they ’ re talking about . ''
) But we all know where this goes .
Enter Anita Hill , who testified that Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ponderous nonstrategy gave way to a proxy war using Hill that would change Thomas ’ s life forever .
Created Equal ’ s footage of the hearings is mercifully selective , with highlights most viewers will remember but wish they ’ d forgotten , including pubic hair on soda cans and a gentleman known as `` Long Dong Silver . ''
Viewers believed Thomas ’ s side of the story by about 2-1 , and he was eventually confirmed .
But that sordid affair is still the defining image most Americans have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the most extraordinary lives in living memory .
Therein lies the documentary ’ s greatest strength : Created Equal provides such direct access that it shatters the picture of Thomas as some kind of `` enigma . ''
It ’ s also a much more compelling story than the tawdry show the left subjected us to in 1991 .
In a way , it ’ s unfortunate that the movie even has to deal with the hearings when his upbringing in Georgia , his journey to God , and his dramatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fascinating interview footage on their own .
But that ’ s not the movie we get because that ’ s not the life Thomas got .
Created Equal : Clarence Thomas in His Own Words premiered in 23 theaters across the United States Friday .
The full list of screenings can be accessed here .

Clarence Thomas quietly occupies a unique place in American life. Anyone who ascends to the nation’s highest court is, by definition, special, but that undersells Thomas. He’s been at the center of the culture war and the debate over the soul of the Constitution—not exactly two minor issues. If that weren’t enough, Thomas’s life growing up black in Georgia gives him the quintessential American success story, even as he has been vilified by the American elite. And in a period characterized by reevaluating racism and its legacy, Thomas has been uniquely targeted with racist smears.
Prominent public figures—and not just anonymous internet trolls—have attacked Thomas on racial grounds. It’s material suited for an inspiring Hollywood movie centering on the black experience in America, akin to recent releases Just Mercy and Harriet. But that’s unthinkable to the elites who have so reviled Thomas for the entirety of his public life. Thankfully, we now have a definitive documentary covering Thomas’s life in director Michael Pack’s Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words.
Drawing from more than 30 hours of interview footage, Created Equal knocks down myths about Thomas one after another: that he is an intellectual lightweight, that he doesn’t express his views, that his hardscrabble origins are a narrative contrivance, and more.
The idea that Thomas has no jurisprudential "content" is a persistent one. Racist cartoons showed him as a servant at the feet of the late Antonin Scalia, a fellow originalist, but that picture ignores the reams of opinions Thomas has authored. He’s a prolific opinion-writer who’s somehow painted as a slouch copying others’ work. The lazy black man is hardly a new idea in the annals of smear campaigns, but Thomas has been the target of something much more bizarre: the charge that his upbringing was contrived to get him confirmed.
Few could see the pictures of his shack in Pin Point, Ga., and the slums in Savannah, then hear him describe the wonder of seeing his grandparents’ home with a functioning bathroom and modern appliances, without being moved. His grandfather Myers Anderson worked him and his brother silly in the city and on the farm, and the lessons learned are fresh in his mind—not just because he looms over his office in the form of a stoic bust.
In light of his experience at the bottom rung of society, it’s striking how much of the elite opinion about Thomas uses directly racist language and imagery. A former Jimmy Carter aide writing in Playboy called him the heir of the "chicken eating preachers" who kowtowed to segregationists, while numerous racist cartoons caricatured him as a slave or even a Klansman. His critics in elite media, such as Jeffrey Toobin, argue he’s the product of affirmative action, a charge of such transparent prejudice that it’s inconceivable it could be made about Thomas were he a judicial liberal. The way Created Equal blows these images apart is simply by showing Thomas’s actual journey, as a man and as a jurist.
That journey took him from seminary to the ranks of black radicals, then through law school before he reluctantly joined a Republican attorney general and had a "road to Damascus moment" about his leftist assumptions about the justice system. Later he joined the Reagan administration and eventually became a federal judge, all while building a philosophy on the Constitution and politics according to Christian principles and natural law.
With all due respect to Brett Kavanaugh, Thomas’s hearings were the original Supreme Court circus. He took abuse from NOW, the NAACP, and other liberal activist groups bent on borking him. None of their tactics seemed to do critical damage—but not for want of passion. Joe Biden provides the movie an amusing interlude, rambling about natural law in an attempt to brand Thomas as an extremist on abortion. (That draws the most acerbic line Thomas has in Created Equal: "One of the things you do in hearings is you have to sit there and look attentively at people you know have no idea what they’re talking about.")
But we all know where this goes. Enter Anita Hill, who testified that Thomas had sexually harassed her. Senate Democrats’ ponderous nonstrategy gave way to a proxy war using Hill that would change Thomas’s life forever. Created Equal’s footage of the hearings is mercifully selective, with highlights most viewers will remember but wish they’d forgotten, including pubic hair on soda cans and a gentleman known as "Long Dong Silver."
Viewers believed Thomas’s side of the story by about 2-1, and he was eventually confirmed. But that sordid affair is still the defining image most Americans have of a man who’s lived one of the most extraordinary lives in living memory. Therein lies the documentary’s greatest strength: Created Equal provides such direct access that it shatters the picture of Thomas as some kind of "enigma." It’s also a much more compelling story than the tawdry show the left subjected us to in 1991.
In a way, it’s unfortunate that the movie even has to deal with the hearings when his upbringing in Georgia, his journey to God, and his dramatic philosophical transformation could each supply two hours of fascinating interview footage on their own. But that’s not the movie we get because that’s not the life Thomas got.
Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words premiered in 23 theaters across the United States Friday. The full list of screenings can be accessed here.


freebeacon--2020-02-01--How Virginia Became the Front Line in the Fight Over Guns

Virginia became the center of the gun-control debate years before tens of thousands of gun-rights supporters amassed on the steps of the state capitol earlier this month .
Gun-control activists targeted Virginia as a potential foothold in the American South as far back as 2013 .
The once-reliably conservative state has seen its population center shift to the Northern Virginia suburbs and university towns—developments that led to Mark Warner 's gubernatorial victory in 2002 and Barack Obama 's wins in the state in 2008 and 2012 .
During that time , however , Republican control of the state legislature blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodies became a focus of left-leaning gun-control groups .
Starting in 2013 and ramping up two years later , Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety , with substantial funding from 2020 presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg , flooded the state with millions of dollars .
Democratic groups poured a record $ 13 million into the state 's elections last year .
Bloomberg-backed groups outspent the National Rifle Association by an 8-1 margin , helping Democrats capture narrow majorities in both the House of Delegates and the state Senate .
The controversies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come as the members of the newly ascendant Democratic majority find themselves caught between the campaign donors who helped them secure control in Richmond and local residents angered by the gun-control proposals offered by those groups and the Democrats they backed .
Those proposals include an outright ban on AR-15s , which elicited an intense backlash .
The outcome of the struggle will have an impact beyond the immediate struggles in the state that will determine the shape of a universal background check or `` red flag '' law in Virginia .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years to come .
For Democrats , their fundraising advantage has not translated to grassroots mobilization .
Gun-rights voters have turned out by the thousands across the state while no such movement has materialized among gun-control activists .
While Moms Demand Action drew 200 people to its lobby day on Jan. 8 , the NRA saw 10 times that number show up four days later .
A pro-gun rally organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League on Jan. 20 had well over 20,000 attendees—the largest such demonstration in decades .
`` [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the one that 's the most heinous is the red flag law because it violates multiple constitutional amendments , '' Reco Ford , a business owner who traveled several hours to Richmond , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` ‘ Shall not be infringed ' is pretty clear .
It 's written in the United States Constitution as well as the Virginia Constitution . ''
Following the lead of their Democratic counterparts , gun-rights activists have also turned their attention to the local level .
Using legislation modeled on the sanctuary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters of the Second Amendment—with little assistance or funding from organized gun-rights groups—began pushing for their own sanctuaries .
While Second Amendment sanctuaries have sporadically appeared in other reliably Democratic states , such as Illinois , New Mexico , and Colorado , the gun sanctuaries have exploded in Virginia .
Within three months of the Democrats ' victory , 91 of Virginia 's 95 counties have passed or adopted sanctuary resolutions .
Similar bills have also passed in more than 40 localities , including Virginia Beach , the largest city in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting .
Even before the Jan. 20 demonstration made national news , Virginia residents were turning out to support local ordinances .
`` I 'm a peaceable man and I 'm not trying to make any trouble at all now , nor do I intend to , I simply would like to have my rights under the Second Amendment preserved , '' Laird Taylor , an aerospace engineer living in Fauquier County , told the Free Beacon on Dec. 13 .
`` I see them about to be infringed and I 'm offended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dentist and lifelong Fauquier County resident , attended the same meeting to support establishing a sanctuary .
`` I have guns that they 're talking about banning , '' Kiffer said .
`` It 's going to be a tough , tough day if I do n't get to hold onto my guns .
I 'm not going to let them go . ''
The county adopted the resolution on Dec. 23 .
The legislation has also spread to Democratic strongholds .
Fairfax County , a Washington , D.C. , suburb , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held out from adopting a gun sanctuary ordinance , but local residents continue to pressure lawmakers .
Veronica Slootsky , a health care worker and firearms trainer , attended a Dec. 5 county board of supervisors debate on the issue .
`` I 've been reading some of the proposed legislation and I 'm very , very concerned about what they 're trying to pass , '' she said .
`` I think it 's unconstitutional and endangers folks in Virginia . ''
The sanctuaries have raised thorny questions of local and state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun laws , but the declarations formalize what has long occurred across the United States .
In Colorado , for example , a 2013 ban on the sale of magazines holding more than 15 rounds is openly flouted .
And nearly 1 million New Yorkers have refused to register their `` assault weapons '' since the SAFE Act went into effect back in 2013 .
In New Jersey , meanwhile , a 2018 ban on the possession of magazines holding more than 10 rounds resulted in exactly zero of the devices being turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans and local lawmakers of attempting to overturn the 2019 election .
`` We showed up in November when we outspent the NRA 8 to 1 and out-worked them on the ground , flipping both chambers of the General Assembly , '' Shannon Watts , head of Bloomberg-backed Moms Demand Action , tweeted in January .
The grassroots outcry appears to have tempered the scope of the gun-control proposals .
Democrats began 2019 with proposals for an outright ban on the possession of AR-15s and similar firearms , but the confiscation proposal was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a registration scheme which would also confiscate certain ammunition magazines , silencers , and `` trigger activators . ''
But that legislation faces long odds to pass as well .
Under the state Senate proposals , Virginia would end up with a universal background check bill—but one that only applies to sales and not other transfers .
The state would have a red flag bill—but one that only police can use and which punishes false accusers .
Localities would have the power to create new gun-free zones—but only in government facilities or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets .
Gun owners would be limited to one gun purchase per month—but with an exception for those with gun-carry permits .
Gun-rights advocates are hardly satisfied with the concessions they 've secured thus far .
`` While there were some improvements to some of these bills , overall , it 's still bad legislation , '' D.J .
Spiker , Virginia state director for the NRA 's Institute for Legislative Action , told the Free Beacon .
`` Putting in more regulations and making it more onerous on the law-abiding citizens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
They say the mass assembly at the state capitol on Jan. 20 was meant to remind newly-empowered Democrats that their campaign donors are not the sum of their constituency .
`` We want to send a signal to the General Assembly to walk away from all this gun control , '' Philip Van Cleave , president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League ( VCDL ) , told the Free Beacon .
`` Walk away from that .
And go do other things . ''
The backlash to gun-control has clearly awakened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of them resemble Laird Taylor , who spoke at the Fauquier County hearing and joined the VCDL for the first time after gun control took center stage in the state .
`` This is more than just , ‘ Do n't take my guns away , ' '' Taylor said .
`` This is a larger issue as I see it and I 'm kicking myself in the rear end as a citizen to get myself smart in things that I probably should have before .
Better late than never . ''

Virginia became the center of the gun-control debate years before tens of thousands of gun-rights supporters amassed on the steps of the state capitol earlier this month.
Gun-control activists targeted Virginia as a potential foothold in the American South as far back as 2013. The once-reliably conservative state has seen its population center shift to the Northern Virginia suburbs and university towns—developments that led to Mark Warner's gubernatorial victory in 2002 and Barack Obama's wins in the state in 2008 and 2012.
During that time, however, Republican control of the state legislature blocked gun regulations and Virginia's state-level deliberative bodies became a focus of left-leaning gun-control groups. Starting in 2013 and ramping up two years later, Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, with substantial funding from 2020 presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg, flooded the state with millions of dollars.
Democratic groups poured a record $13 million into the state's elections last year. Bloomberg-backed groups outspent the National Rifle Association by an 8-1 margin, helping Democrats capture narrow majorities in both the House of Delegates and the state Senate.
The controversies that have erupted across the state since then come as the members of the newly ascendant Democratic majority find themselves caught between the campaign donors who helped them secure control in Richmond and local residents angered by the gun-control proposals offered by those groups and the Democrats they backed. Those proposals include an outright ban on AR-15s, which elicited an intense backlash.
The outcome of the struggle will have an impact beyond the immediate struggles in the state that will determine the shape of a universal background check or "red flag" law in Virginia. It may well shape the gun debate nationwide for years to come.
For Democrats, their fundraising advantage has not translated to grassroots mobilization. Gun-rights voters have turned out by the thousands across the state while no such movement has materialized among gun-control activists. While Moms Demand Action drew 200 people to its lobby day on Jan. 8, the NRA saw 10 times that number show up four days later. A pro-gun rally organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League on Jan. 20 had well over 20,000 attendees—the largest such demonstration in decades.
"[The proposals] all bother me, but the one that's the most heinous is the red flag law because it violates multiple constitutional amendments," Reco Ford, a business owner who traveled several hours to Richmond, told the Washington Free Beacon. "'Shall not be infringed' is pretty clear. It's written in the United States Constitution as well as the Virginia Constitution."
Following the lead of their Democratic counterparts, gun-rights activists have also turned their attention to the local level. Using legislation modeled on the sanctuary city movement started by immigration activists, supporters of the Second Amendment—with little assistance or funding from organized gun-rights groups—began pushing for their own sanctuaries. While Second Amendment sanctuaries have sporadically appeared in other reliably Democratic states, such as Illinois, New Mexico, and Colorado, the gun sanctuaries have exploded in Virginia.
Within three months of the Democrats' victory, 91 of Virginia's 95 counties have passed or adopted sanctuary resolutions. Similar bills have also passed in more than 40 localities, including Virginia Beach, the largest city in the state and the site of a 2019 mass shooting. Even before the Jan. 20 demonstration made national news, Virginia residents were turning out to support local ordinances.
"I'm a peaceable man and I'm not trying to make any trouble at all now, nor do I intend to, I simply would like to have my rights under the Second Amendment preserved," Laird Taylor, an aerospace engineer living in Fauquier County, told the Free Beacon on Dec. 13. "I see them about to be infringed and I'm offended by that."
Crystal Kiffer, a dentist and lifelong Fauquier County resident, attended the same meeting to support establishing a sanctuary.
"I have guns that they're talking about banning," Kiffer said. "It's going to be a tough, tough day if I don't get to hold onto my guns. I'm not going to let them go."
The county adopted the resolution on Dec. 23. The legislation has also spread to Democratic strongholds. Fairfax County, a Washington, D.C., suburb, is one of four counties that has held out from adopting a gun sanctuary ordinance, but local residents continue to pressure lawmakers. Veronica Slootsky, a health care worker and firearms trainer, attended a Dec. 5 county board of supervisors debate on the issue.
"I've been reading some of the proposed legislation and I'm very, very concerned about what they're trying to pass," she said. "I think it's unconstitutional and endangers folks in Virginia."
The sanctuaries have raised thorny questions of local and state authority when interpreting the Constitution and enforcing gun laws, but the declarations formalize what has long occurred across the United States. In Colorado, for example, a 2013 ban on the sale of magazines holding more than 15 rounds is openly flouted. And nearly 1 million New Yorkers have refused to register their "assault weapons" since the SAFE Act went into effect back in 2013. In New Jersey, meanwhile, a 2018 ban on the possession of magazines holding more than 10 rounds resulted in exactly zero of the devices being turned in.
Gun-control activists are now accusing Republicans and local lawmakers of attempting to overturn the 2019 election.
"We showed up in November when we outspent the NRA 8 to 1 and out-worked them on the ground, flipping both chambers of the General Assembly," Shannon Watts, head of Bloomberg-backed Moms Demand Action, tweeted in January.
The grassroots outcry appears to have tempered the scope of the gun-control proposals. Democrats began 2019 with proposals for an outright ban on the possession of AR-15s and similar firearms, but the confiscation proposal was scrapped for a ban on new sales and a registration scheme which would also confiscate certain ammunition magazines, silencers, and "trigger activators." But that legislation faces long odds to pass as well.
Under the state Senate proposals, Virginia would end up with a universal background check bill—but one that only applies to sales and not other transfers. The state would have a red flag bill—but one that only police can use and which punishes false accusers. Localities would have the power to create new gun-free zones—but only in government facilities or at permitted events, like farmers' markets. Gun owners would be limited to one gun purchase per month—but with an exception for those with gun-carry permits.
Gun-rights advocates are hardly satisfied with the concessions they've secured thus far.
"While there were some improvements to some of these bills, overall, it's still bad legislation," D.J. Spiker, Virginia state director for the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, told the Free Beacon. "Putting in more regulations and making it more onerous on the law-abiding citizens of Virginia is not something we stand for."
They say the mass assembly at the state capitol on Jan. 20 was meant to remind newly-empowered Democrats that their campaign donors are not the sum of their constituency.
"We want to send a signal to the General Assembly to walk away from all this gun control," Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), told the Free Beacon. "Walk away from that. And go do other things."
The backlash to gun-control has clearly awakened many voters. The question is how many of them resemble Laird Taylor, who spoke at the Fauquier County hearing and joined the VCDL for the first time after gun control took center stage in the state.
"This is more than just, ‘Don't take my guns away,'" Taylor said. "This is a larger issue as I see it and I'm kicking myself in the rear end as a citizen to get myself smart in things that I probably should have before. Better late than never."