freebeacon--2020-11-20--Pence in Georgia: GOP Senate Needed to ‘Save America’

CANTON , Ga.—Vice President Mike Pence made his first runoff campaign stop with Republican senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler on Friday , urging voters to `` keep Georgia and save America . ''
`` Let ’ s show the world what Georgia is all about—that the agenda of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi is not the agenda of the people of Georgia , '' Pence said in Canton .
Republicans are counting on the vice president ’ s visit to spur turnout in the state 's impending Senate runoff elections , which will determine partisan control of the upper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perdue and Loeffler ’ s messaging—the Republicans pitched themselves as the `` last line of defense '' that will ensure congressional Democrats can not pass progressive legislation like the Green New Deal .
The message resonated with Gary Brown of Atlanta , who told the Washington Free Beacon he attended the rally to `` support the idea of a divided government . ''
`` I like that they ’ re a firewall , '' Brown said , adding that he found Democratic calls to expand the Supreme Court and extend statehood to Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be `` disastrous . ''
Pence is the latest high-profile GOP official to join Perdue and Loeffler on the campaign trail , with former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and Sens .
Marco Rubio ( Fla. ) and Tom Cotton ( Ark . )
all visiting the Peach State in recent days .
The vice president praised Perdue and Loeffler for their `` strong support '' for the Trump administration .
`` We ’ ve had the strong support of these senators every step of the way , when it came to our security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also that is true when it came to the rule of law , '' Pence said .
The former Indiana governor , meanwhile , criticized Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock for supporting the `` taxpayer-funding of abortion all the way up to the moment of birth . ''
Pence closed his speech by asking supporters to vote early and in person .
In-person early voting begins in the state on December 14 , and the runoff elections will take place on January 5 .

CANTON, Ga.—Vice President Mike Pence made his first runoff campaign stop with Republican senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler on Friday, urging voters to "keep Georgia and save America."
"Let’s show the world what Georgia is all about—that the agenda of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi is not the agenda of the people of Georgia," Pence said in Canton.
Republicans are counting on the vice president’s visit to spur turnout in the state's impending Senate runoff elections, which will determine partisan control of the upper chamber. Pence’s speech mirrored Perdue and Loeffler’s messaging—the Republicans pitched themselves as the "last line of defense" that will ensure congressional Democrats cannot pass progressive legislation like the Green New Deal.
The message resonated with Gary Brown of Atlanta, who told the Washington Free Beacon he attended the rally to "support the idea of a divided government."
"I like that they’re a firewall," Brown said, adding that he found Democratic calls to expand the Supreme Court and extend statehood to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico to be "disastrous."
Pence is the latest high-profile GOP official to join Perdue and Loeffler on the campaign trail, with former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Tom Cotton (Ark.) all visiting the Peach State in recent days. The vice president praised Perdue and Loeffler for their "strong support" for the Trump administration.
"We’ve had the strong support of these senators every step of the way, when it came to our security, when it came to our prosperity, but also that is true when it came to the rule of law," Pence said. The former Indiana governor, meanwhile, criticized Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock for supporting the "taxpayer-funding of abortion all the way up to the moment of birth."
Pence closed his speech by asking supporters to vote early and in person. In-person early voting begins in the state on December 14, and the runoff elections will take place on January 5.


freebeacon--2020-11-20--An Obama Tradition Continues: Biden Taps Facebook Lobbyist for Top Admin Post

President-elect Joe Biden on Friday announced the selection of Louisa Terrell as his legislative affairs director .
Like most of the people Biden has tapped for senior roles in his administration , Terrell formerly worked in lobbying shops for controversial corporations such as Facebook , Yahoo , and McKinsey & Company .
The decision is in keeping with former president Barack Obama 's proud tradition of hiring corporate lobbyists—despite explicitly campaigning against the influence of such lobbyists in Washington .
Terrell is merely the latest former lobbyist to earn a senior role in the Biden administration .
Biden 's incoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously lobbied on behalf of U.S. Airways , AOL Time Warner , Fannie Mae , and ImClone , a pharmaceutical company whose CEO was convicted of fraud .
His deputy chief of staff , Jen O'Malley Dillon , cofounded an `` integrated strategy and marketing agency '' that was recently hired to represent private equity firms .
The incoming counselor to the president , Steve Ricchetti , previously lobbied for AT & T , Eli Lily , and the American Bankers Association .
Terrell served as public policy director for Facebook from 2009 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giant would come to be viewed as an enemy by Democratic supporters as well as by journalists , who are inclined to blame Facebook for helping to elect Donald Trump in 2016 .
Recently , Terrell served as deputy general counsel and public affairs director for McKinsey & Company , the controversial consulting firm with ties to a price-fixing scandal involving Canadian bread .
Progressive politicians and activists are unlikely to be thrilled by Terrell 's hiring , given her relationship with one of the reviled ( of late ) Big Tech companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , upon learning that Biden was reportedly considering tapping former Google CEO Eric Schmidt for a senior White House role .
Biden 's actions since being declared the presumptive winner of the 2020 election , however , have suggested rather strongly that he does n't really care about the feelings of progressive activists .
It is one of his most redeeming qualities .

President-elect Joe Biden on Friday announced the selection of Louisa Terrell as his legislative affairs director. Like most of the people Biden has tapped for senior roles in his administration, Terrell formerly worked in lobbying shops for controversial corporations such as Facebook, Yahoo, and McKinsey & Company.
The decision is in keeping with former president Barack Obama's proud tradition of hiring corporate lobbyists—despite explicitly campaigning against the influence of such lobbyists in Washington. Terrell is merely the latest former lobbyist to earn a senior role in the Biden administration.
Biden's incoming chief of staff, Ron Klain, previously lobbied on behalf of U.S. Airways, AOL Time Warner, Fannie Mae, and ImClone, a pharmaceutical company whose CEO was convicted of fraud. His deputy chief of staff, Jen O'Malley Dillon, cofounded an "integrated strategy and marketing agency" that was recently hired to represent private equity firms. The incoming counselor to the president, Steve Ricchetti, previously lobbied for AT&T, Eli Lily, and the American Bankers Association.
Terrell served as public policy director for Facebook from 2009 to 2011, years before the tech giant would come to be viewed as an enemy by Democratic supporters as well as by journalists, who are inclined to blame Facebook for helping to elect Donald Trump in 2016. Recently, Terrell served as deputy general counsel and public affairs director for McKinsey & Company, the controversial consulting firm with ties to a price-fixing scandal involving Canadian bread.
Progressive politicians and activists are unlikely to be thrilled by Terrell's hiring, given her relationship with one of the reviled (of late) Big Tech companies. Many expressed outrage, for example, upon learning that Biden was reportedly considering tapping former Google CEO Eric Schmidt for a senior White House role.
Biden's actions since being declared the presumptive winner of the 2020 election, however, have suggested rather strongly that he doesn't really care about the feelings of progressive activists. It is one of his most redeeming qualities.


freebeacon--2020-11-20--Countdown to Kamala: Joe Biden Celebrates 78th Birthday

Joe Biden turns 78 today , as Kamala Harris inches ever closer to becoming the first member of Willie Brown 's extensive stable of former lovers to become president of the United States .
Biden , who still has a chance of being sworn in as ( nominal ) president in January , is by far the oldest individual to win a presidential election .
That was fairly obvious to anyone who watched him struggle to maintain an acceptable approximation of mental coherence and physical alertness on the campaign trail .
The former VP attempted to compensate for his lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visiting a plastic surgeon 's office .
Medical experts believe `` there 's no question '' Biden had a facelift procedure prior to launching his 2020 campaign .
Additional analysis suggests Botox injections might have been involved as well .
Biden 's affinity for hair plugs is well documented .
President Donald J. Trump , who appears to have lost reelection despite his undisputed superiority in terms of stamina and intellect , occasionally poked fun at Biden for hiding his doctors ' work behind a large protective mask .
`` I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend all that money on the plastic surgery [ for ] if he is going to cover it up ? ''
Trump said during a campaign rally in September .
Even if Biden manages to take the oath of office in January , few expect his role as `` president '' to involve anything more than the symbolic duties typically associated with figureheads or first ladies .
For this very reason , some Biden advisers argued against the selection of Kamala Harris as a running mate , given her reputation as a ruthlessly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtain power .
Harris , who is set to make history as the second person of color to become vice president , would be a historic president as well .
Her husband , Doug Emhoff , would become the only man to ever hold the title of First Lady .
Biden shares a birthday with several notable Americans , including Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh , Hollywood heartthrob Bo Derek , and Robert Byrd , the late Democratic senator and `` exalted cyclops '' of the Ku Klux Klan who would have turned 103 @ @

Joe Biden turns 78 today, as Kamala Harris inches ever closer to becoming the first member of Willie Brown's extensive stable of former lovers to become president of the United States.
Biden, who still has a chance of being sworn in as (nominal) president in January, is by far the oldest individual to win a presidential election. That was fairly obvious to anyone who watched him struggle to maintain an acceptable approximation of mental coherence and physical alertness on the campaign trail.
The former VP attempted to compensate for his lack of cognitive fortitude by (apparently) visiting a plastic surgeon's office. Medical experts believe "there's no question" Biden had a facelift procedure prior to launching his 2020 campaign. Additional analysis suggests Botox injections might have been involved as well. Biden's affinity for hair plugs is well documented.
President Donald J. Trump, who appears to have lost reelection despite his undisputed superiority in terms of stamina and intellect, occasionally poked fun at Biden for hiding his doctors' work behind a large protective mask. "I mean, honestly, what the hell did he spend all that money on the plastic surgery [for] if he is going to cover it up?" Trump said during a campaign rally in September.
Even if Biden manages to take the oath of office in January, few expect his role as "president" to involve anything more than the symbolic duties typically associated with figureheads or first ladies. For this very reason, some Biden advisers argued against the selection of Kamala Harris as a running mate, given her reputation as a ruthlessly ambitious politician who will do anything to obtain power.
Harris, who is set to make history as the second person of color to become vice president, would be a historic president as well. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, would become the only man to ever hold the title of First Lady.
Biden shares a birthday with several notable Americans, including Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, Hollywood heartthrob Bo Derek, and Robert Byrd, the late Democratic senator and "exalted cyclops" of the Ku Klux Klan who would have turned 103 today.


freebeacon--2020-11-20--Conservative Groups Lean on Ground Game in Georgia Runoff

`` Democrats are realizing that part of the reason why the blue wave did n't happen is because those low propensity voters were never engaged through a ground game , '' Heritage Action executive director Jessica Anderson told the Washington Free Beacon .
Heritage Action , the political arm of the Heritage Foundation , is putting $ 1 million into a multi-faceted canvass that plans to knock on 500,000 doors .
Women Speak Out PAC , a partner to the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List , is following suit with a $ 4 million multi-channel effort to support door-to-door outreach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 500,000 behind a campaign to turn out about 215,000 Mass-going Catholics .
Conservative groups are spending millions to dominate in-person voter outreach ahead of Georgia 's crucial runoff elections , exploiting an opening they believe was left wide open by pandemic-leery Democrats .
The groups say there is no substitute for face-to-face engagement , especially when thousands of voters lack the time or means to participate in campaign webinars or parking lot rallies .
Most Democrats retreated to digital ahead of the general election , leaving countless doorsteps open to Republican volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as President Donald Trump lost the state , down-ballot Republicans appear to have benefited from an aggressive in-person canvass .
The GOP retained comfortable majorities in both chambers of the Georgia statehouse , while Democrats were left grasping at Biden 's coattails .
Even though prominent Peach State progressives such as Stacey Abrams have networks in place to help Democrats compete , it 's not clear that they can mobilize on doorsteps in force at this point , if they 're even inclined to do so .
Georgia reported over 3,000 new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a national surge in transmission .
`` I think that they 're behind , '' Anderson said .
`` They do n't have the infrastructure in place in the way that conservatives like Heritage Action do .
We 've been in the state for seven years , so we were able to knock our first door last week on Monday . ''
Anderson said a ground game is especially important to reaching metro-Atlanta voters who lean Republican but might have voted for president-elect Joe Biden or stayed home .
Initial returns suggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Biden , even as minority turnout stalled .
Heritage Action is looking for Cobb , DeKalb , Fulton , Gwinnett , and Hall county residents with a spotty voting record and hopes to engage them on issues such as economic recovery , safety , and security .
`` That 's where the heartbeat of these voters are and need to be turned out , '' Anderson said .
Fulton and DeKalb are Democratic strongholds while Hall , which encompasses the outlying Atlanta suburbs , is solidly Republican .
President Trump was competitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Biden won them in convincing style in 2020 .
The group has also prepared a digital ad component to compliment its field efforts , which will launch Nov. 23 .
Whether that battle-tested infrastructure can turn out weary voters is the decisive question of the race .
Anderson said Republican voters are `` down on the mat '' after an exhausting general election and a statewide recount .
Other conservative groups are stepping into the breach to protect against faltering confidence among Republican voters .
Tea Party Patriots is hosting training sessions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This election has made clear the need for transparency in our election processes , '' Tea Party Patriots president Jenny Beth Martin said .
`` Consequently , we will be conducting training sessions for poll workers and poll watchers , so we can have confidence in the outcomes . ''
While Biden took the state by a narrow margin , Ossoff ran almost 100,000 votes behind him .
Warnock 's margin was far more daunting , at over 850,000 votes behind Biden .

"Democrats are realizing that part of the reason why the blue wave didn't happen is because those low propensity voters were never engaged through a ground game," Heritage Action executive director Jessica Anderson told the Washington Free Beacon.
Heritage Action, the political arm of the Heritage Foundation, is putting $1 million into a multi-faceted canvass that plans to knock on 500,000 doors. Women Speak Out PAC, a partner to the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, is following suit with a $4 million multi-channel effort to support door-to-door outreach. And CatholicVote is putting up to $500,000 behind a campaign to turn out about 215,000 Mass-going Catholics.
Conservative groups are spending millions to dominate in-person voter outreach ahead of Georgia's crucial runoff elections, exploiting an opening they believe was left wide open by pandemic-leery Democrats.
The groups say there is no substitute for face-to-face engagement, especially when thousands of voters lack the time or means to participate in campaign webinars or parking lot rallies. Most Democrats retreated to digital ahead of the general election, leaving countless doorsteps open to Republican volunteers who owned the open field.
Even as President Donald Trump lost the state, down-ballot Republicans appear to have benefited from an aggressive in-person canvass. The GOP retained comfortable majorities in both chambers of the Georgia statehouse, while Democrats were left grasping at Biden's coattails.
Even though prominent Peach State progressives such as Stacey Abrams have networks in place to help Democrats compete, it's not clear that they can mobilize on doorsteps in force at this point, if they're even inclined to do so. Georgia reported over 3,000 new cases of the virus Wednesday, in keeping with a national surge in transmission.
"I think that they're behind," Anderson said. "They don't have the infrastructure in place in the way that conservatives like Heritage Action do. We've been in the state for seven years, so we were able to knock our first door last week on Monday."
Anderson said a ground game is especially important to reaching metro-Atlanta voters who lean Republican but might have voted for president-elect Joe Biden or stayed home. Initial returns suggest suburban defections from the GOP delivered Georgia to Biden, even as minority turnout stalled. Heritage Action is looking for Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Hall county residents with a spotty voting record and hopes to engage them on issues such as economic recovery, safety, and security.
"That's where the heartbeat of these voters are and need to be turned out," Anderson said.
Fulton and DeKalb are Democratic strongholds while Hall, which encompasses the outlying Atlanta suburbs, is solidly Republican. President Trump was competitive in Cobb and Gwinnett in 2016, but Biden won them in convincing style in 2020.
The group has also prepared a digital ad component to compliment its field efforts, which will launch Nov. 23.
Whether that battle-tested infrastructure can turn out weary voters is the decisive question of the race. Anderson said Republican voters are "down on the mat" after an exhausting general election and a statewide recount.
Other conservative groups are stepping into the breach to protect against faltering confidence among Republican voters. Tea Party Patriots is hosting training sessions for precinct workers and poll watchers.
"This election has made clear the need for transparency in our election processes," Tea Party Patriots president Jenny Beth Martin said. "Consequently, we will be conducting training sessions for poll workers and poll watchers, so we can have confidence in the outcomes."
While Biden took the state by a narrow margin, Ossoff ran almost 100,000 votes behind him. Warnock's margin was far more daunting, at over 850,000 votes behind Biden.


freebeacon--2020-11-21--State Department Says Anti-American Educators Undermine U.S. Efforts to Counter China

The United States ' ability to counter the rise of China is being undermined by anti-American attitudes in the education system , according to a new State Department report outlining a longterm strategy to compete with China .
The agency said Americans need to be educated about the strategic threat that Beijing poses to U.S. interests and called for government officials and the public to have access to English translations of Chinese Communist Party speeches .
Such an effort , according to the State Department , could be undermined by high school and college systems that are hostile to America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ’ s grade schools , middle schools , high schools , and colleges and universities have to a dismaying degree abandoned well-rounded presentations of America ’ s founding ideas and constitutional traditions in favor of propaganda aimed at vilifying the nation , '' the paper reads .
`` In the face of these polarizing forces , the United States must reclaim its own legacy of liberty . ''
Rachelle Peterson , a senior fellow at the National Association of Scholars , called the State Department 's assessment of American education `` spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` biased , disfigured teaching of our own history '' will be `` receptive to Chinese propaganda , '' according to Peterson .
`` For years , students have been taught American history as an unbroken chain of violated promises , ignoring the groundbreaking work Americans have done to advance the cause of personal liberty and individual responsibility , '' Peterson said .
`` Is it any wonder that students , convinced America is inherently bigoted , find Chinese propaganda persuasive ? ''
The department said Beijing will present an intractable problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply be an issue for the current administration .
`` The China challenge , so understood , is likely to dominate American foreign policy across many administrations , '' the paper reads .
`` The major components of China ’ s conduct … reveal a great power that sees the transformation of international order as critical to its plans to dominate world affairs . ''
The paper called on lawmakers to increase investment in state-of-the-art technologies and bolster diplomatic institutions such as the International Development Finance Corporation and the Blue Dot Network to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asserts that the CCP regime has deep external and internal vulnerabilities that the United States must seize on , such as its declining population and slowing economic growth .
Experts and lawmakers championed the document as a crucial contribution to America 's strategy to confront the communist regime .
Dan Blumenthal , an American Enterprise Institute scholar and author of The China Nightmare , said China is best approached as `` a Leninist empire '' that seeks to dominate not only its domestic population , but populations abroad as well .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of its action against Xinjiang , Tibet , Hong Kong , and Taiwan , '' Blumenthal said .
`` The report is wise to point out China ’ s vulnerabilities .
A competitive strategy would press on those vulnerabilities . ''
Rep. Mike Gallagher ( R. , Wis. ) has been a leading voice on Capitol Hill against Chinese power plays , sponsoring legislation that would put Beijing on the defensive on issues ranging from cybersecurity to the Australian alliance .
He praised the State Department for acknowledging the rising threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solid framework for future administrations .
`` The State Department 's new paper on the China challenge sets an important strategic framework for our competition with the Chinese Communist Party , '' Gallagher told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` It laser-focuses on the under-appreciated ideological origins of the CCP 's reckless aggression and sets a compelling North Star for U.S. strategy : securing freedom at home and abroad .
This is a strategy that deserves bipartisan support and should serve as a foundation for U.S.-China policy for years to come . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the State Department ’ s efforts .
Foundation for Defense of Democracies defense experts Bradley Bowman and Nathan Picarsic applauded the document for laying out the stakes of the conflict .
`` The Policy Planning Staff at the Department of State deserves credit for undertaking such an ambitious paper focused on the People ’ s Republic of China—the greatest threat that the United States and fellow democracies confront , '' Bowman told the Free Beacon .
`` As the paper notes , the staff is trying to ‘ step back and take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. government attempt to do that , and such an effort is sorely needed . ''
Picarsic called Beijing 's rise `` a generational challenge . ''
He emphasized that America 's cooperation with European and Asian partners across several areas will determine how Washington stands up to China .
`` The hard work ahead will be determined by those on the ground and in the trenches of 21st-century battlegrounds spanning ideological , technological , economic , and military domains , '' Picarsic said .

The United States' ability to counter the rise of China is being undermined by anti-American attitudes in the education system, according to a new State Department report outlining a longterm strategy to compete with China.
The agency said Americans need to be educated about the strategic threat that Beijing poses to U.S. interests and called for government officials and the public to have access to English translations of Chinese Communist Party speeches. Such an effort, according to the State Department, could be undermined by high school and college systems that are hostile to America's founding principles and history.
"America’s grade schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges and universities have to a dismaying degree abandoned well-rounded presentations of America’s founding ideas and constitutional traditions in favor of propaganda aimed at vilifying the nation," the paper reads. "In the face of these polarizing forces, the United States must reclaim its own legacy of liberty."
Rachelle Peterson, a senior fellow at the National Association of Scholars, called the State Department's assessment of American education "spot on." Young people raised with a "biased, disfigured teaching of our own history" will be "receptive to Chinese propaganda," according to Peterson.
"For years, students have been taught American history as an unbroken chain of violated promises, ignoring the groundbreaking work Americans have done to advance the cause of personal liberty and individual responsibility," Peterson said. "Is it any wonder that students, convinced America is inherently bigoted, find Chinese propaganda persuasive?"
The department said Beijing will present an intractable problem for years to come and will not simply be an issue for the current administration.
"The China challenge, so understood, is likely to dominate American foreign policy across many administrations," the paper reads. "The major components of China’s conduct ... reveal a great power that sees the transformation of international order as critical to its plans to dominate world affairs."
The paper called on lawmakers to increase investment in state-of-the-art technologies and bolster diplomatic institutions such as the International Development Finance Corporation and the Blue Dot Network to counter Chinese influence abroad. It also asserts that the CCP regime has deep external and internal vulnerabilities that the United States must seize on, such as its declining population and slowing economic growth.
Experts and lawmakers championed the document as a crucial contribution to America's strategy to confront the communist regime. Dan Blumenthal, an American Enterprise Institute scholar and author of The China Nightmare, said China is best approached as "a Leninist empire" that seeks to dominate not only its domestic population, but populations abroad as well.
"The fact that it is an empire guides much of its action against Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Taiwan," Blumenthal said. "The report is wise to point out China’s vulnerabilities. A competitive strategy would press on those vulnerabilities."
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R., Wis.) has been a leading voice on Capitol Hill against Chinese power plays, sponsoring legislation that would put Beijing on the defensive on issues ranging from cybersecurity to the Australian alliance. He praised the State Department for acknowledging the rising threat of the CCP and said it established a solid framework for future administrations.
"The State Department's new paper on the China challenge sets an important strategic framework for our competition with the Chinese Communist Party," Gallagher told the Washington Free Beacon. "It laser-focuses on the under-appreciated ideological origins of the CCP's reckless aggression and sets a compelling North Star for U.S. strategy: securing freedom at home and abroad. This is a strategy that deserves bipartisan support and should serve as a foundation for U.S.-China policy for years to come."
Experts also spoke to the strength of the State Department’s efforts. Foundation for Defense of Democracies defense experts Bradley Bowman and Nathan Picarsic applauded the document for laying out the stakes of the conflict.
"The Policy Planning Staff at the Department of State deserves credit for undertaking such an ambitious paper focused on the People’s Republic of China—the greatest threat that the United States and fellow democracies confront," Bowman told the Free Beacon. "As the paper notes, the staff is trying to 'step back and take a long-term view.' Too few in the U.S. government attempt to do that, and such an effort is sorely needed."
Picarsic called Beijing's rise "a generational challenge." He emphasized that America's cooperation with European and Asian partners across several areas will determine how Washington stands up to China.
"The hard work ahead will be determined by those on the ground and in the trenches of 21st-century battlegrounds spanning ideological, technological, economic, and military domains," Picarsic said.


freebeacon--2020-11-21--This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 20

This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 20

Welcome back to Campus Insanity , a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation 's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education .
6 .
Open Letter Calls on Harvard to Create ‘ System of Accountability ' for Inviting Trump Admin Alums to Campus| Washington Free Beacon An open letter circulating at Harvard University is asking the school to create `` accountability guidelines '' for former Trump officials who are hired or invited to campus .
According to the letter , inviting high-profile Trump appointees to the school legitimizes `` the subversion of democratic principles . ''
5 .
University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Say White Male Composers ' Full Names Because of ‘ Inequity ' | Campus Reform Music theory professor Chris White wrote an op-ed for Slate in which he argued for the `` full naming '' of composers like Beethoven and Mozart .
Not using their first names , he said , creates a harmful , hierarchical system .
4 .
Michigan State Apologizes for Diversity Training That Called Transgender Employees by Their Legal Names | The College Fix Michigan State University was forced to apologize after the school referred to employees by their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ module on `` Diversity , Equity , and Inclusion Foundations . ''
3 .
University of Washington School of Drama Segregates Groups Based On Race , Sexuality | Campus Reform To combat bigotry , the University of Washington theater department plans to segregate groups of student actors by race and sexuality .
A new ethnic studies curriculum from the California Department of Education claims Jews gain `` racial privilege '' through their `` conditional whiteness , '' despite a newly released FBI report that shows Jews were a leading target of hate crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bioethics and humanities professor at the University of Washington , published a paper on creating sex robots for older Americans to fight loneliness .
She has clearly never watched Ex Machina .
Want more Campus Insanity ?
Read Vol .
19 here .
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy @ freebeacon.com & nester @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome back to Campus Insanity, a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education.
6. Open Letter Calls on Harvard to Create 'System of Accountability' for Inviting Trump Admin Alums to Campus| Washington Free Beacon
An open letter circulating at Harvard University is asking the school to create "accountability guidelines" for former Trump officials who are hired or invited to campus. According to the letter, inviting high-profile Trump appointees to the school legitimizes "the subversion of democratic principles."
5. University of Massachusetts Professor: We Don't Say White Male Composers' Full Names Because of 'Inequity' | Campus Reform
Music theory professor Chris White wrote an op-ed for Slate in which he argued for the "full naming" of composers like Beethoven and Mozart. Not using their first names, he said, creates a harmful, hierarchical system.
4. Michigan State Apologizes for Diversity Training That Called Transgender Employees by Their Legal Names | The College Fix
Michigan State University was forced to apologize after the school referred to employees by their legal names—not their preferred names—in a training module on "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Foundations."
3. University of Washington School of Drama Segregates Groups Based On Race, Sexuality | Campus Reform
To combat bigotry, the University of Washington theater department plans to segregate groups of student actors by race and sexuality.
2. California Ethnic Studies Curriculum Claims Jews Have 'White Privilege' | The College Fix
A new ethnic studies curriculum from the California Department of Education claims Jews gain "racial privilege" through their "conditional whiteness," despite a newly released FBI report that shows Jews were a leading target of hate crimes in 2019.
1. University of Washington Professor Proposes Developing Sex Robots for Older Disabled Adults | KIRO 7
Nancy Jecker, a bioethics and humanities professor at the University of Washington, published a paper on creating sex robots for older Americans to fight loneliness. She has clearly never watched Ex Machina.
Want more Campus Insanity? Read Vol. 19 here.
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy@freebeacon.com & nester@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--This Week in Leftist Violence and Intimidation Vol. 13

Washington , D.C. , became a focal point for leftist violence this week , as Black Lives Matter protesters clashed with and assaulted Trump supporters as well as bystanders following a pro-Trump rally over the weekend .
Here are some examples of the latest round of political violence and intimidation from across the country .
When Trump supporters organized a protest in Washington , D.C. , leftist protesters who confronted them also shot fireworks at innocent bystanders who were dining .
Protesters in Seattle vandalized a Starbucks with a communist symbol and an anti-police slogan .
They spray-painted `` ACAB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) next to the Soviet Union ’ s hammer and sickle and added , `` F— STARBUCKS ! ''
Near San Francisco , members of the Black Lives Matter movement assaulted passersby and intimidated diners , part of left-wing demonstrations that included a flag burning , vandalism , and marchers blocking traffic .
Black Lives Matter protesters assaulted numerous Trump supporters who passed through Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington , D.C. , after a pro-Trump rally over the weekend .
One man was sucker punched and suffered serious head injuries .
1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supporter With Mace and Flag Pole Leftist protesters in Washington surrounded a Trump supporter and pushed him into a fence , spraying mace on him and hitting him repeatedly with a flag pole he had been using to defend himself .
`` What the f— did you think was going to happen ? ''
one protester was heard saying on a loudspeaker .

Washington, D.C., became a focal point for leftist violence this week, as Black Lives Matter protesters clashed with and assaulted Trump supporters as well as bystanders following a pro-Trump rally over the weekend. Here are some examples of the latest round of political violence and intimidation from across the country.
5. Anti-Trump Protesters Shoot Fireworks at Diners
When Trump supporters organized a protest in Washington, D.C., leftist protesters who confronted them also shot fireworks at innocent bystanders who were dining.
Antifa/BLM continues to attack Trump supporters who are eating outside with fireworks in Washington, DC. pic.twitter.com/8k32VN4Sm7 — Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 15, 2020
Antifa and BLM members attack people who are eating dinner near BLM Plaza. They threw projectiles and a large firework. pic.twitter.com/w96nbZaJ8F — Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 14, 2020
4. Seattle Protesters Vandalize Starbucks With Anti-Police Slogan, Soviet Symbol
Protesters in Seattle vandalized a Starbucks with a communist symbol and an anti-police slogan. They spray-painted "ACAB!" (All Cops Are Bastards) next to the Soviet Union’s hammer and sickle and added, "F— STARBUCKS!"
One of the groups has vandalized a business at #QueenAnne Ave N and W Boston St. Members of the group formed a line to obscure any view of those who were vandalizing. pic.twitter.com/62smug7zJt — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) November 20, 2020
3. California BLM Protesters Assault Passersby, Intimidate Diners
Near San Francisco, members of the Black Lives Matter movement assaulted passersby and intimidated diners, part of left-wing demonstrations that included a flag burning, vandalism, and marchers blocking traffic.
Last night, a mob of BLM-antifa protesters staged a 'No Justice, No Peace" protest outside city hall in Walnut Creek, Cal. (near San Francisco). They began assaulting at least one person & then confronted diners at a restaurant across the street. #antifa https://t.co/PjQnctRkCj — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 16, 2020
2. D.C. Black Lives Matter Activists Knock Out Trump Supporter in Broad Daylight
Black Lives Matter protesters assaulted numerous Trump supporters who passed through Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., after a pro-Trump rally over the weekend. One man was sucker punched and suffered serious head injuries.
BREAKING - Multiple Trump supporters assaulted by pro-BLM supporters in Washington D.C. One of the supporters assaulted was brutally knocked out. The scene is chaotic right now #MillionMAGAMarch pic.twitter.com/2Gjl8WC8Z0 — Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) November 14, 2020
1. Antifa and BLM Protesters Attack Trump Supporter With Mace and Flag Pole
Leftist protesters in Washington surrounded a Trump supporter and pushed him into a fence, spraying mace on him and hitting him repeatedly with a flag pole he had been using to defend himself. "What the f— did you think was going to happen?" one protester was heard saying on a loudspeaker.


freebeacon--2020-11-22--Pompeo Meets Taliban Leaders Ahead of Planned U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

DOHA , Qatar—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a daylong round of talks with Gulf Arab leaders and representatives from the Taliban on Saturday , conversations that come as the United States moves to pull its troops out of war-torn Afghanistan .
Pompeo met with the Taliban ’ s senior leadership as part of ongoing negotiations hosted by the Qatari government in Doha .
Pompeo praised the sides for sticking with the negotiations that could see the Afghan government strike a stable peace accord with the Taliban terrorist group after decades of bloody violence .
Talks have been taking place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first announced the groundwork for negotiations .
The meetings came just hours after mortars struck several areas in Kabul , Afghanistan ’ s capital—a stark reminder that peace negotiations could deteriorate at any point .
The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack .
As talks continue , the Trump administration is moving forward with plans to pull around 2,500 American troops from Afghanistan—a move that has been roundly criticized by both Democratic and Republican leaders .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , a typical Trump administration ally , called the plan `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has yet to comment on the plan , but he has expressed a willingness in the past to begin removing U.S. troops from the region .
Pompeo also talked to leaders in Doha and the United Arab Emirates about the ongoing threat posed by Iran and Trump administration efforts in its final months to further tighten the economic noose on Tehran .
Gulf Arab leaders are already nervous about a Biden administration due to its vow to reenter the landmark nuclear deal with Iran and provide it with a new wave of cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaned into its ties with Saudi Arabia , the UAE , and Qatar , it is expected the Biden administration will pursue a policy centered on making Iran a more prominent regional player .

DOHA, Qatar—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a daylong round of talks with Gulf Arab leaders and representatives from the Taliban on Saturday, conversations that come as the United States moves to pull its troops out of war-torn Afghanistan.
Pompeo met with the Taliban’s senior leadership as part of ongoing negotiations hosted by the Qatari government in Doha. Pompeo praised the sides for sticking with the negotiations that could see the Afghan government strike a stable peace accord
with the Taliban terrorist group after decades of bloody violence. Talks have been taking place since February, when the Trump administration first announced the groundwork for negotiations.
The meetings came just hours after mortars struck several areas in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital—a stark reminder that peace negotiations could deteriorate at any point. The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack.
As talks continue, the Trump administration is moving forward with plans to pull around 2,500 American troops from Afghanistan—a move that has been roundly criticized by both Democratic and Republican leaders. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a typical Trump administration ally, called the plan "a mistake."
Incoming president Joe Biden has yet to comment on the plan, but he has expressed a willingness in the past to begin removing U.S. troops from the region.
Pompeo also talked to leaders in Doha and the United Arab Emirates about the ongoing threat posed by Iran and Trump administration efforts in its final months to further tighten the economic noose on Tehran. Gulf Arab leaders are already nervous about a Biden administration due to its vow to reenter the landmark nuclear deal with Iran and provide it with a new wave of cash assets. While the Trump administration has leaned into its ties with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, it is expected the Biden administration will pursue a policy centered on making Iran a more prominent regional player.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--Antiracism Icon Robin DiAngelo Paid More Than Black Woman for Same Job

The prominent diversity consultant Robin DiAngelo raked in $ 12,750 for a speaking gig last month at the University of Wisconsin—70 percent more than the other keynote speaker , black female author Austin Channing Brown .
The University of Wisconsin-Madison 's Division of Diversity , Equity , and Educational Achievement paid Channing Brown just $ 7,500 for her keynote address at its annual Diversity Forum , receipts obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show .
The payments were negotiated with the Harry Walker Agency , a New York-based speakers bureau that represents both women .
DiAngelo has called such inequitable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming that `` capitalism is dependent on inequality.… If the model is profit over everything else , you ’ re not going to look at your policies to see what is most racially equitable . ''
As she writes in her bestseller White Fragility , she believes racism helps white people and hinders non-white people at every step of the employment process : `` Whiteness has psychological advantages that translate into material returns . ''
The forum , which has run for two decades and attracts over 1,000 attendees , was this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing pandemic .
Almost every event from the two-day forum is available online , except for one panel and DiAngelo 's keynote .
Her address , the office of UW-Madison chief diversity officer Cheryl Gittens told the Free Beacon , was omitted because it uses a PowerPoint presentation `` which is her IP . ''
The talk , `` Seeing the Racial Water , '' is one of DiAngelo 's two `` standard '' keynotes .
DiAngelo and Brown did not respond to requests for comment .
The pair were the only two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's office told the Free Beacon , in accord with what it described as the school ’ s `` practice '' of only compensating keynote speakers .
That means DiAngelo was also paid more than dozens of other minority presenters—a disparity that a devoted reader of her work would likely identify as racist .
The payments , revealed through a public information request , are just the latest example of the exorbitant rates DiAngelo charges for public lectures on `` antiracism '' and `` white fragility , '' pop sociological concepts that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current racial upheaval .
As her influence grows—DiAngelo spoke to the House Democratic caucus in June—so too do the payouts , with her average speaking fee up 125 percent since 2018 alone .
DiAngelo 's fee from the UW-Madison event was smaller than many payments this year .
She now notes in her `` personal accountability '' statement that her `` average fee for an event '' through August of 2020 was $ 14,000 .
Another recent appearance , at the University of Connecticut , netted her $ 20,000 .
DiAngelo 's accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Free Beacon report in July on her ballooning wealth , an apparent attempt to swat down damaging revelations such as her sky-high speaking fees or her three homes worth over $ 1.5 million .
DiAngelo , who warns that the Free Beacon is a `` far right '' website , nonetheless confirms the accuracy of its reporting .
The Free Beacon reported that she is paid up to $ 30,000 for a 60- to 90-minute speech .
DiAngelo calls this figure `` enormously misleading '' before writing that her fees can in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` which is well within the standard range for a best-selling author who is in high demand . ''
DiAngelo also writes that she receives 7.5 percent royalties on White Fragility , just shy of the Free Beacon ‘ s estimate of 8 percent—which would have netted her over $ 2 million in sales .
And while DiAngelo has made her name demanding that white people stop avoiding difficult conversations , she did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Free Beacon .
Although her star has slipped since this summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times bestsellers list , though it remains at number five on the paperback nonfiction list—the payment from UW-Madison shows that DiAngelo remains more than comfortable .
She and other prominent `` woke '' figures , such as Boston University 's Ibram X. Kendi , seem set to continue to reap healthy payouts for years to come .

The prominent diversity consultant Robin DiAngelo raked in $12,750 for a speaking gig last month at the University of Wisconsin—70 percent more than the other keynote speaker, black female author Austin Channing Brown.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement paid Channing Brown just $7,500 for her keynote address at its annual Diversity Forum, receipts obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show. The payments were negotiated with the Harry Walker Agency, a New York-based speakers bureau that represents both women.
DiAngelo has called such inequitable treatment the racist heart of capitalism, claiming that "capitalism is dependent on inequality.… If the model is profit over everything else, you’re not going to look at your policies to see what is most racially equitable." As she writes in her bestseller White Fragility, she believes racism helps white people and hinders non-white people at every step of the employment process: "Whiteness has psychological advantages that translate into material returns."
The forum, which has run for two decades and attracts over 1,000 attendees, was this year streamed entirely on Zoom due to the ongoing pandemic. Almost every event from the two-day forum is available online, except for one panel and DiAngelo's keynote. Her address, the office of UW-Madison chief diversity officer Cheryl Gittens told the Free Beacon, was omitted because it uses a PowerPoint presentation "which is her IP." The talk, "Seeing the Racial Water," is one of DiAngelo's two "standard" keynotes.
DiAngelo and Brown did not respond to requests for comment.
The pair were the only two speakers paid for their appearances, Gittens's office told the Free Beacon, in accord with what it described as the school’s "practice" of only compensating keynote speakers. That means DiAngelo was also paid more than dozens of other minority presenters—a disparity that a devoted reader of her work would likely identify as racist.
The payments, revealed through a public information request, are just the latest example of the exorbitant rates DiAngelo charges for public lectures on "antiracism" and "white fragility," pop sociological concepts that have taken on new power amid America's current racial upheaval.
As her influence grows—DiAngelo spoke to the House Democratic caucus in June—so too do the payouts, with her average speaking fee up 125 percent since 2018 alone.
DiAngelo's fee from the UW-Madison event was smaller than many payments this year. She now notes in her "personal accountability" statement that her "average fee for an event" through August of 2020 was $14,000. Another recent appearance, at the University of Connecticut, would have paid $20,000, but was canceled, a UConn spokesperson told the Free Beacon.
DiAngelo's accountability statement has been updated extensively since a Free Beacon report in July on her ballooning wealth, an apparent attempt to swat down damaging revelations such as her sky-high speaking fees or her three homes worth over $1.5 million.
DiAngelo, who warns that the Free Beacon is a "far right" website, nonetheless confirms the accuracy of its reporting. The Free Beacon reported that she is paid up to $30,000 for a 60- to 90-minute speech. DiAngelo calls this figure "enormously misleading" before writing that her fees can in fact range as high as $30,000, "which is well within the standard range for a best-selling author who is in high demand."
DiAngelo also writes that she receives 7.5 percent royalties on White Fragility, just shy of the Free Beacon's estimate of 8 percent—which would have netted her over $2 million in sales.
And while DiAngelo has made her name demanding that white people stop avoiding difficult conversations, she did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Free Beacon.
Although her star has slipped since this summer's upheaval—White Fragility no longer tops the New York Times bestsellers list, though it remains at number five on the paperback nonfiction list—the payment from UW-Madison shows that DiAngelo remains more than comfortable. She and other prominent "woke" figures, such as Boston University's Ibram X. Kendi, seem set to continue to reap healthy payouts for years to come.
Update 9:17 a.m.: This post has been updated with information from a UConn spokesperson.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--Far Left’s ‘Green’ Pentagon Jeopardizes National Security, Republicans Say

The far left 's campaign to treat climate change as a national security threat could hamstring President-elect Joe Biden 's Pentagon and cause significant threats to military readiness , lawmakers and experts told the Washington Free Beacon .
Liberal lawmakers have already signaled an interest in shifting defense priorities toward climate change instead of military superiority .
The Congressional Progressive Caucus , which is co-chaired by Rep. Pramila Jayapal ( D. , Wash. ) , announced in July that it would oppose a defense budget that does not include a 10 percent cut in military spending , citing climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bush ( D. , Mo . )
said she hopes to defund the Pentagon during her term .
Senators Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) , Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
, and Ed Markey ( D. , Mass . )
, meanwhile , have touted a similar defense budget cut resolution with the support of Greenpeace and the Union of Concerned Scientists .
Such misplaced priorities could cause significant problems for America 's national defense , Rep. Adam Kinzinger ( R. , Ill. ) said .
`` Cutting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of a coward to do anything about entitlements is going to be the one thing that guarantees a future conflict . ''
The same group of lawmakers advocating for Pentagon budget cuts have also supported an expansive domestic agenda that includes the Green New Deal and Medicare For All .
Recent changes to House Democratic leadership rules stand to boost progressives ' influence .
`` If we 're not careful , we push ourselves into positions where we sub-optimize defense in favor of climate change , '' Heritage Foundation Center of National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it just dilutes what the Department of Defense is really trying to get after . ''
Outgoing House Armed Services Committee ranking member Mac Thornberry ( R. , Texas ) said the campaign against fossil fuels would hinder military readiness .
`` Where we get into trouble is if there 's some other sort of agenda to ban fossil fuels or something like that which would significantly impair our ability to conduct military operations , '' Thornberry told the Free Beacon .
`` You ca n't just take a pause and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
The world does n't allow you to .
We have to maintain the highest levels of military readiness while these other technologies are being pursued . ''
It appears that many costly environmentalist ideas could influence a Biden administration 's Department of Defense .
Michèle Flournoy , President-elect Biden 's presumptive nominee to lead the Pentagon , has spoken about the need to develop and put climate-change initiatives into operation in the department .
Flournoy , former president Barack Obama 's number two at the Pentagon from 2009 to 2012 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greening '' the Department of Defense through initiatives such as creating a new office for energy innovation that would focus on adopting green technologies and combating climate change from the national-security side .
`` Climate change is a national-security threat because it 's going to affect vital American interests , '' Flournoy said in a 2019 video from National Security Action , a left-leaning PAC started by Obama administration alumnus Ben Rhodes .
`` The [ Trump ] administration has put its head in the sand on this . ''
Experimenting with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been tried—and has failed—before .
In 2010 , Obama Defense Department appointees tested expensive biofuels as a replacement for typical fuels for the Pacific fleet , running up a $ 12 million dollar bill .
Republicans blasted the attempt as deeply irresponsible , as biofuel cost $ 27 per gallon compared with the $ 3.50 per gallon spent on conventional military fuel .
Spoehr warned that an overemphasis on the environment could also allow U.S. adversaries , such as China , to gain the upper hand in defense production .
Unencumbered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to produce navy destroyers and aircraft carriers at a rate far surpassing America 's , closing the ship gap rapidly , Spoehr said .

The far left's campaign to treat climate change as a national security threat could hamstring President-elect Joe Biden's Pentagon and cause significant threats to military readiness, lawmakers and experts told the Washington Free Beacon.
Liberal lawmakers have already signaled an interest in shifting defense priorities toward climate change instead of military superiority. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, which is co-chaired by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.), announced in July that it would oppose a defense budget that does not include a 10 percent cut in military spending, citing climate change as a major concern. Representative-elect Cori Bush (D., Mo.) said she hopes to defund the Pentagon during her term. Senators Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), and Ed Markey (D., Mass.), meanwhile, have touted a similar defense budget cut resolution with the support of Greenpeace and the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Such misplaced priorities could cause significant problems for America's national defense, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R., Ill.) said. "Cutting the defense budget because you're too much of a coward to do anything about entitlements is going to be the one thing that guarantees a future conflict."
The same group of lawmakers advocating for Pentagon budget cuts have also supported an expansive domestic agenda that includes the Green New Deal and Medicare For All. Recent changes to House Democratic leadership rules stand to boost progressives' influence.
"If we're not careful, we push ourselves into positions where we sub-optimize defense in favor of climate change," Heritage Foundation Center of National Defense director Thomas Spoehr said. "I think it just dilutes what the Department of Defense is really trying to get after."
Outgoing House Armed Services Committee ranking member Mac Thornberry (R., Texas) said the campaign against fossil fuels would hinder military readiness.
"Where we get into trouble is if there's some other sort of agenda to ban fossil fuels or something like that which would significantly impair our ability to conduct military operations," Thornberry told the Free Beacon. "You can't just take a pause and fix everything just the way you want it. The world doesn't allow you to. We have to maintain the highest levels of military readiness while these other technologies are being pursued."
It appears that many costly environmentalist ideas could influence a Biden administration's Department of Defense. Michèle Flournoy, President-elect Biden's presumptive nominee to lead the Pentagon, has spoken about the need to develop and put climate-change initiatives into operation in the department. Flournoy, former president Barack Obama's number two at the Pentagon from 2009 to 2012, speaks regularly about the idea of "greening" the Department of Defense through initiatives such as creating a new office for energy innovation that would focus on adopting green technologies and combating climate change from the national-security side.
"Climate change is a national-security threat because it's going to affect vital American interests," Flournoy said in a 2019 video from National Security Action, a left-leaning PAC started by Obama administration alumnus Ben Rhodes. "The [Trump] administration has put its head in the sand on this."
Experimenting with a more environmentally friendly approach to the Pentagon has been tried—and has failed—before. In 2010, Obama Defense Department appointees tested expensive biofuels as a replacement for typical fuels for the Pacific fleet, running up a $12 million dollar bill. Republicans blasted the attempt as deeply irresponsible, as biofuel cost $27 per gallon compared with the $3.50 per gallon spent on conventional military fuel.
Spoehr warned that an overemphasis on the environment could also allow U.S. adversaries, such as China, to gain the upper hand in defense production. Unencumbered by the same environmental regulations, China is able to produce navy destroyers and aircraft carriers at a rate far surpassing America's, closing the ship gap rapidly, Spoehr said.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--Nobody Agrees With Nancy’s Take on Democrat ‘Mandate’

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) on Friday celebrated House Democrats ' `` mandate '' @ @ @ @ @ weeks officials and the media have been discussing how bad the party 's results were @ @ @ @ @ media analyst for the Washington Free Beacon .
He graduated from Wheaton College in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ Beacon , he was a high school teacher and a legislative intern in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ can be reached at christenson @ freebeacon.com .

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) on Friday celebrated House Democrats' "mandate" from voters, but for weeks officials and the media have been discussing how bad the party's results were.


freebeacon--2020-11-24--Philly Faces New Lawsuit After Shutting Down Gun-Carry Permit Process

Philadelphia is facing a new lawsuit over its decision to completely shutter its gun-carry permit process over COVID-19 concerns .
The Firearms Policy Coalition ( FPC ) filed a case in federal court accusing Philadelphia of infringing on residents ' Second Amendment rights on Friday after the city closed its permit process for at least three weeks .
The gun-rights group requested a temporary restraining order Monday that would require the city to open its process back up and provide remote application options to residents , but it was denied .
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have the court rule that the shutdown of the Gun Permit Unit amounts to a total destruction of individuals ' right to bear arms outside of the home , '' Adam Kraut , director of legal strategy for FPC , told the Washington Free Beacon .
The shutdown comes even as other permitting offices in the city remain open .
The three driver and photo license centers in Philadelphia have social distancing requirements but are open to the public , according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 's website .
The Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a request for comment , but a message on the department 's Gun Permit Unit website said the shutdown was due to `` several positive COVID-19 cases and the need to quarantine as advised by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health . ''
The message added that all appointments would be canceled through at least Dec. 7 , 2020 , as the permitting facility is cleaned .
Kraut said the suit does n't question mitigation efforts against COVID-19 , but rather PPD 's decision to completely suspend permitting instead of implementing alternatives to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to other Pennsylvania counties like Berks and Schuylkill , which accept gun-carry permit applications online .
`` There is a mechanism that they could set up … in which they receive the applications , they process them , and then they either call the person down in person or … send them [ a certification ] via mail , '' Kraut said .
`` They could certainly accept applications by mail .
They could accept applications by common carrier .
They could even set up a locked drop box for people to physically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whole bunch of alternatives that exist and there 's no indication that they 've even considered them . ''
Surging demand for gun-carry permits amid coronavirus restrictions has created backlogs across Pennsylvania and the country at large .
But Philadelphia has come under special scrutiny for its drawn-out application process , which resulted in year-long waits even before the current shutdown .
FPC 's case only adds to the city 's legal concerns .
This summer 's backlog had already spurred a different gun-rights group , Gun Owners of America , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court .
That suit accuses the city of violating a state law requiring gun-carry permits to be issued or denied within 45 days of application .
`` The new closure demonstrates how fragile the PPD process is : Coronavirus exposure should have been something they expected and planned for , but instead they simply believed they could close down for three weeks , '' Andrew Austin , an attorney in the Gun Owners of America case , told the Free Beacon .
`` That 's just not acceptable . ''
He said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a safer application process is unwillingness on the part of city officials .
`` The U.S. mail is not a vector of coronavirus infection , and everything else should be conducted remotely ( there is a zero percent transmission rate on the phone or Zoom ) , '' Austin said .
`` The only thing they ca n't do remotely is fingerprints , which is n't a requirement of the law and could be done during pick-up if they still felt it necessary . ''
Jude Joanis , a Temple University law school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's backlog over the summer , said he finally received his permit after his initial 2021 appointment was moved up in the wake of a September Free Beacon story that shed light on his ordeal .
`` I 'm glad that I was able to get my permit so I can defend myself when necessary , '' Joanis told the Free Beacon .
Joanis said being able to legally carry a gun in a city where the murder rate has surged and rioting has broken out is more important than ever .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face-to-face application process is only going to lead to more shutdowns and fewer people obtaining permits—an outcome he thinks city officials ultimately prefer .
`` Neighboring counties are able to process permit applications quickly and without exposing their staff to undue risk , '' Joanis said .
`` There are ways to ensure that people are able to access their constitutional right to self-defense and mitigate coronavirus spread concerns .
Simplifying the permit process is a way to do that . ''

Philadelphia is facing a new lawsuit over its decision to completely shutter its gun-carry permit process over COVID-19 concerns.
The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) filed a case in federal court accusing Philadelphia of infringing on residents' Second Amendment rights on Friday after the city closed its permit process for at least three weeks. The gun-rights group requested a temporary restraining order Monday that would require the city to open its process back up and provide remote application options to residents, but it was denied. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Nov. 30.
"We're hoping to have the court rule that the shutdown of the Gun Permit Unit amounts to a total destruction of individuals' right to bear arms outside of the home," Adam Kraut, director of legal strategy for FPC, told the Washington Free Beacon.
The shutdown comes even as other permitting offices in the city remain open. The three driver and photo license centers in Philadelphia have social distancing requirements but are open to the public, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's website.
The Philadelphia Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but a message on the department's Gun Permit Unit website said the shutdown was due to "several positive COVID-19 cases and the need to quarantine as advised by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health." The message added that all appointments would be canceled through at least Dec. 7, 2020, as the permitting facility is cleaned.
Kraut said the suit doesn't question mitigation efforts against COVID-19, but rather PPD's decision to completely suspend permitting instead of implementing alternatives to the face-to-face application process. He pointed to other Pennsylvania counties like Berks and Schuylkill, which accept gun-carry permit applications online.
"There is a mechanism that they could set up ... in which they receive the applications, they process them, and then they either call the person down in person or ... send them [a certification] via mail," Kraut said. "They could certainly accept applications by mail. They could accept applications by common carrier. They could even set up a locked drop box for people to physically drop off an application. There's a whole bunch of alternatives that exist and there's no indication that they've even considered them."
Surging demand for gun-carry permits amid coronavirus restrictions has created backlogs across Pennsylvania and the country at large. But Philadelphia has come under special scrutiny for its drawn-out application process, which resulted in year-long waits even before the current shutdown.
FPC's case only adds to the city's legal concerns. This summer's backlog had already spurred a different gun-rights group, Gun Owners of America, to file a still-pending case in Pennsylvania state court. That suit accuses the city of violating a state law requiring gun-carry permits to be issued or denied within 45 days of application.
"The new closure demonstrates how fragile the PPD process is: Coronavirus exposure should have been something they expected and planned for, but instead they simply believed they could close down for three weeks," Andrew Austin, an attorney in the Gun Owners of America case, told the Free Beacon. "That's just not acceptable."
He said the only thing preventing PPD from moving to a safer application process is unwillingness on the part of city officials.
"The U.S. mail is not a vector of coronavirus infection, and everything else should be conducted remotely (there is a zero percent transmission rate on the phone or Zoom)," Austin said. "The only thing they can't do remotely is fingerprints, which isn't a requirement of the law and could be done during pick-up if they still felt it necessary."
Jude Joanis, a Temple University law school alum who was caught in the city's backlog over the summer, said he finally received his permit after his initial 2021 appointment was moved up in the wake of a September Free Beacon story that shed light on his ordeal.
"I'm glad that I was able to get my permit so I can defend myself when necessary," Joanis told the Free Beacon.
Joanis said being able to legally carry a gun in a city where the murder rate has surged and rioting has broken out is more important than ever. But, he added, Philadelphia's unnecessary face-to-face application process is only going to lead to more shutdowns and fewer people obtaining permits—an outcome he thinks city officials ultimately prefer.
"Neighboring counties are able to process permit applications quickly and without exposing their staff to undue risk," Joanis said. "There are ways to ensure that people are able to access their constitutional right to self-defense and mitigate coronavirus spread concerns. Simplifying the permit process is a way to do that."


freebeacon--2020-11-23--U.S. Withdraws From Open Skies Treaty

U.S. Withdraws From Open Skies Treaty

Washington on Sunday officially withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty , an international agreement setting rules for aerial surveillance that the United States has accused Russia of violating .
The Trump administration gave advance notice in May that it would withdraw from the 1992 treaty , waiting six months before officially exiting the agreement .
The agreement , which applied to the United States and 34 other member countries , provides a framework allowing states to fly reconnaissance aircraft over one another with mutual consent .
Washington , however , maintains that the treaty was undermined by Russia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May press release from the State Department outlined the Trump administration ’ s logic on the issue .
`` Russia ’ s implementation and violation of Open Skies … has undermined this central confidence-building function of the Treaty—and has , in fact , fueled distrust and threats to our national security—making continued U.S. participation untenable , '' the statement reads .
`` Rather than using the Open Skies Treaty as a mechanism for improving trust and confidence through military transparency , Russia has , therefore , weaponized the Treaty by making it into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Specifically , the Trump administration cited Moscow ’ s restrictions on flights over Russian-held Kaliningrad , its use of the treaty to claim sovereignty over Crimea , and its refusal to permit surveillance of a large Russian military exercise as examples of Moscow ’ s bad-faith approach to the agreement .
Washington clarified that although it has withdrawn from the treaty , it remains committed to one of the major functions of the agreement—sharing intelligence with allies—according to CNN .
China , though not a signatory to the agreement , condemned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the treaty .
`` This move by the U.S. undermines military mutual trust and transparency among relevant countries , is not conducive to maintaining security and stability in relevant regions and will also have a negative impact on the international arms control and disarmament process , '' Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Monday .
While Joe Biden has not committed to rejoining the treaty after taking office , he affirmed his support for the agreement in a May statement , calling Trump ’ s decision to withdraw an example of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone and abandoning American leadership . ''
Biden has made rejoining multilateral organizations that the current administration has designated as biased a top priority of his foreign policy agenda .

Washington on Sunday officially withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty, an international agreement setting rules for aerial surveillance that the United States has accused Russia of violating.
The Trump administration gave advance notice in May that it would withdraw from the 1992 treaty, waiting six months before officially exiting the agreement. The agreement, which applied to the United States and 34 other member countries, provides a framework allowing states to fly reconnaissance aircraft over one another with mutual consent.
Washington, however, maintains that the treaty was undermined by Russia’s flagrant abuse of the agreement. A May press release from the State Department outlined the Trump administration’s logic on the issue.
"Russia’s implementation and violation of Open Skies ... has undermined this central confidence-building function of the Treaty—and has, in fact, fueled distrust and threats to our national security—making continued U.S. participation untenable," the statement reads. "Rather than using the Open Skies Treaty as a mechanism for improving trust and confidence through military transparency, Russia has, therefore, weaponized the Treaty by making it into a tool of intimidation and threat."
Specifically, the Trump administration cited Moscow’s restrictions on flights over Russian-held Kaliningrad, its use of the treaty to claim sovereignty over Crimea, and its refusal to permit surveillance of a large Russian military exercise as examples of Moscow’s bad-faith approach to the agreement.
Washington clarified that although it has withdrawn from the treaty, it remains committed to one of the major functions of the agreement—sharing intelligence with allies—according to CNN.
China, though not a signatory to the agreement, condemned the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the treaty.
"This move by the U.S. undermines military mutual trust and transparency among relevant countries, is not conducive to maintaining security and stability in relevant regions and will also have a negative impact on the international arms control and disarmament process," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Monday.
While Joe Biden has not committed to rejoining the treaty after taking office, he affirmed his support for the agreement in a May statement, calling Trump’s decision to withdraw an example of the "short-sighted policy of going it alone and abandoning American leadership."
Biden has made rejoining multilateral organizations that the current administration has designated as biased a top priority of his foreign policy agenda.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--Buttigieg Campaign Office to Become Pole Dancing Studio

Pete Buttigieg 's former campaign headquarters in South Bend , Ind.
, has found a new tenant .
Soma Pole Studio is currently renovating the building , which will eventually include nine poles , and plans to start offering high-priced pole dancing classes in January 2021 .
Every client is expected to take a beginner class to learn the basics of pole dancing , but from there , patrons will be able to choose from a purely workout-focused class with flexibility and conditioning , an acrobatic class that works on maneuvers and gymnastic-like tricks on the vertical pole and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more sensual side .
Memberships and other class packages are already available on the studio 's website .
Prospective clients are encouraged to `` [ g ] ive the gift of pole classes this holiday season '' by taking advantage of a limited-time offer—4 classes for just $ 75 .
The studio 's location ( and mere existence ) is a fitting homage to Buttigieg 's legacy as the former mayor of South Bend .
As mayor , Buttigieg was routinely criticized for fueling the town 's gentrification by encouraging upscale economic development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents .
Buttigieg , 38 , believed his record as mayor was sufficient qualification to run for president in 2020 .
His improbable campaign exceeded expectations , thanks in part to his strong support among wealthy white liberals in `` boat shoe '' strongholds such as Cape Cod , Martha 's Vineyard , and Nantucket .
However , his White House hopes were dashed in South Carolina , where Buttigieg placed fourth after receiving just 3 percent of the black vote .

Pete Buttigieg's former campaign headquarters in South Bend, Ind., has found a new tenant.
Soma Pole Studio is currently renovating the building, which will eventually include nine poles, and plans to start offering high-priced pole dancing classes in January 2021.
The South Bend Tribune reports:
Every client is expected to take a beginner class to learn the basics of pole dancing, but from there, patrons will be able to choose from a purely workout-focused class with flexibility and conditioning, an acrobatic class that works on maneuvers and gymnastic-like tricks on the vertical pole and an exotic choreography class that focuses on the more sensual side.
Memberships and other class packages are already available on the studio's website. Prospective clients are encouraged to "[g]ive the gift of pole classes this holiday season" by taking advantage of a limited-time offer—4 classes for just $75.
The studio's location (and mere existence) is a fitting homage to Buttigieg's legacy as the former mayor of South Bend. As mayor, Buttigieg was routinely criticized for fueling the town's gentrification by encouraging upscale economic development at the expense of minorities and poorer residents.
Buttigieg, 38, believed his record as mayor was sufficient qualification to run for president in 2020. His improbable campaign exceeded expectations, thanks in part to his strong support among wealthy white liberals in "boat shoe" strongholds such as Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. However, his White House hopes were dashed in South Carolina, where Buttigieg placed fourth after receiving just 3 percent of the black vote.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--University of Wisconsin-Madison Considers Removing ‘Racist’ Boulder

The University of Wisconsin-Madison may soon remove a 70-ton boulder that student activists claim is a symbol of the school 's racist past .
On Nov. 19 , the university 's Campus Planning Committee voted unanimously to recommend the removal of Chamberlin Rock , named after former university president Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin .
The rock became a source of controversy when students found that a 1925 newspaper clipping called the rock a `` n****rhead , '' a common term at the time for large , dark rocks .
The university confirmed that the clipping was the only known instance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A university spokeswoman told the Washington Free Beacon that the planning committee 's recommendation will be reviewed by Chancellor Rebecca Blank , who has already expressed support for the rock 's removal , and the Wisconsin Historical Society .
Following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement , black students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison began calling for the removal of the rock , claiming that it was a reminder of the school 's racist history .
The school 's Black Student Union kickstarted the campaign .
`` We took a stance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to our university and demand things that have been demanded for so long but have historically fallen on deaf ears , '' Black Student Union president Nalah McWhorter told the Free Beacon .
`` When looking at context and what this university was like in 1925 , it is very clear that it was a very racist campus . ''
Student activists across the country have called for the removal of any monument or name with links to slavery or racism , however tenuous those links might be .
Tulane University activists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Victory Bell , '' which was used to celebrate sports wins , after discovering its association with slavery ; they also called for `` reparations '' for students who experienced `` emotional damage and trauma '' from the bell 's presence .
Michigan State University said it may rename its James Madison residential college to promote `` sustainable '' racial change , and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas purged its Yosemite Sam-style mascot after activists complained it had `` racist roots . ''
The Wisconsin-Madison committee estimates it will cost between $ 30,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The university is considering removing it in one of three ways : relocating the rock off campus , burying it at the site of its original location , or breaking it up and disposing of it .
Geochronology professor Brad Singer is lobbying to relocate the rock nearby so professors can continue using it for instruction .
UW-Madison 's Black Student Union is also working to remove a statue of Abraham Lincoln from campus , due to his `` genocide of Native Americans and his close proximity to Ho-Chunk effigy mounds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chancellor claims the school has no plans to remove the Lincoln statue .

The University of Wisconsin-Madison may soon remove a 70-ton boulder that student activists claim is a symbol of the school's racist past.
On Nov. 19, the university's Campus Planning Committee voted unanimously to recommend the removal of Chamberlin Rock, named after former university president Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin. The rock became a source of controversy when students found that a 1925 newspaper clipping called the rock a "n****rhead," a common term at the time for large, dark rocks. The university confirmed that the clipping was the only known instance of the term being used on campus.
A university spokeswoman told the Washington Free Beacon that the planning committee's recommendation will be reviewed by Chancellor Rebecca Blank, who has already expressed support for the rock's removal, and the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, black students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison began calling for the removal of the rock, claiming that it was a reminder of the school's racist history. The school's Black Student Union kickstarted the campaign.
"We took a stance, and a bold stance to stand up to our university and demand things that have been demanded for so long but have historically fallen on deaf ears," Black Student Union president Nalah McWhorter told the Free Beacon. "When looking at context and what this university was like in 1925, it is very clear that it was a very racist campus."
Student activists across the country have called for the removal of any monument or name with links to slavery or racism, however tenuous those links might be. Tulane University activists convinced the school to remove the "Victory Bell," which was used to celebrate sports wins, after discovering its association with slavery; they also called for "reparations" for students who experienced "emotional damage and trauma" from the bell's presence. Michigan State University said it may rename its James Madison residential college to promote "sustainable" racial change, and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas purged its Yosemite Sam-style mascot after activists complained it had "racist roots."
The Wisconsin-Madison committee estimates it will cost between $30,000 and $75,000 to remove the boulder. The university is considering removing it in one of three ways: relocating the rock off campus, burying it at the site of its original location, or breaking it up and disposing of it. Geochronology professor Brad Singer is lobbying to relocate the rock nearby so professors can continue using it for instruction.
UW-Madison's Black Student Union is also working to remove a statue of Abraham Lincoln from campus, due to his "genocide of Native Americans and his close proximity to Ho-Chunk effigy mounds," according to McWhorter.
The university chancellor claims the school has no plans to remove the Lincoln statue.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--Biden to Nominate CNN Analyst for Secretary of State

Another media figure is joining the incoming Biden administration .
The president-elect 's team announced over the weekend Biden 's intention to nominate CNN global-affairs analyst Antony Blinken for the role of secretary of state .
Blinken , in addition to his role at CNN , is a cofounder and managing partner of WestExec Advisors , a `` strategic advisory firm that offers unique geopolitical and policy expertise to help business leaders make the best decisions in a complex and volatile international landscape . ''
He also served as a deputy in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2017 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm '' is one of the more conventional ways in which selfless public servants ensure they become rich enough to afford a life of selfless public service .
The job of secretary of state , for example , pays a mere $ 210,700 a year .
Multinational corporations will pay a lot more than that for strategic advice from politically well-connected media analysts .
Though the practice is typically frowned upon when Republicans do it , Democrats can often count on journalists and other liberals to defend them for simply having `` participated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from corporate clients while their Democratic colleagues routinely badmouth those clients in public .
For some reason , CNN was reluctant to highlight its connection to the presumptive nominee for a senior cabinet position .
CNN 's chief media correspondent , Brian Stelter , did n't mention Blinken 's ties to the company in his morning newsletter .
He did link to a CNN story about the announcement , but that did n't mention the CNN connection either .
Weird .
Blinken , the CNN analyst , will join other media figures who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Biden administration .
CNN contributor Jen Psaki is a senior advisor to the Biden-Harris transition team .
Numerous NBC and MSNBC analysts have already made the jump , including Richard Stengel , Dr. Zeke Emanuel , and Karine Jean-Pierre .
Presidential historian Jon Meacham is no longer a paid MSNBC contributor after he failed to disclose his role as a speechwriting consultant for the Biden campaign .
On at least one occasion , Meacham had appeared on MSNBC to praise a speech he helped write .
Biden 's hiring announcements thus far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former boss , Barack Obama , who claimed to despise corporate lobbyists but hired dozens of them .
Similarly , dozens of journalists left their roles as impartial truth-seekers to join the Obama administration .

Another media figure is joining the incoming Biden administration. The president-elect's team announced over the weekend Biden's intention to nominate CNN global-affairs analyst Antony Blinken for the role of secretary of state.
Blinken, in addition to his role at CNN, is a cofounder and managing partner of WestExec Advisors, a "strategic advisory firm that offers unique geopolitical and policy expertise to help business leaders make the best decisions in a complex and volatile international landscape." He also served as a deputy in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2017.
Starting one's own "strategic advisory firm" is one of the more conventional ways in which selfless public servants ensure they become rich enough to afford a life of selfless public service. The job of secretary of state, for example, pays a mere $210,700 a year. Multinational corporations will pay a lot more than that for strategic advice from politically well-connected media analysts.
Though the practice is typically frowned upon when Republicans do it, Democrats can often count on journalists and other liberals to defend them for simply having "participated in society" by raking in cash from corporate clients while their Democratic colleagues routinely badmouth those clients in public.
Blinken participated in society. The horror. https://t.co/JaJiAeF6X8 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 23, 2020
For some reason, CNN was reluctant to highlight its connection to the presumptive nominee for a senior cabinet position. CNN's chief media correspondent, Brian Stelter, didn't mention Blinken's ties to the company in his morning newsletter. He did link to a CNN story about the announcement, but that didn't mention the CNN connection either. Weird.
Blinken, the CNN analyst, will join other media figures who have already been tapped for roles in the Biden administration. CNN contributor Jen Psaki is a senior advisor to the Biden-Harris transition team. Numerous NBC and MSNBC analysts have already made the jump, including Richard Stengel, Dr. Zeke Emanuel, and Karine Jean-Pierre.
Presidential historian Jon Meacham is no longer a paid MSNBC contributor after he failed to disclose his role as a speechwriting consultant for the Biden campaign. On at least one occasion, Meacham had appeared on MSNBC to praise a speech he helped write.
Biden's hiring announcements thus far have continued the tradition established by his former boss, Barack Obama, who claimed to despise corporate lobbyists but hired dozens of them. Similarly, dozens of journalists left their roles as impartial truth-seekers to join the Obama administration.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--New Jersey Religious Leaders Appeal to Supreme Court in Coronavirus Fight

An Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a Catholic priest are teaming up to appeal to the Supreme Court in a religious-liberty lawsuit challenging New Jersey 's coronavirus restrictions .
The pair of religious leaders said that the state 's cap on in-person religious gatherings is lower than restrictions on non-religious events and that the state 's mask mandate does not provide enough exemptions for religious gatherings .
Religious gatherings `` are still being treated unequally relative to numerous comparable secular activities , '' the two argue .
Rabbi Yisrael Knopfler , leader of an Orthodox Jewish synagogue , and Catholic priest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court justice Samuel Alito , who indicated his sympathy for religious challenges to coronavirus restrictions in a speech earlier this month .
The application asks the Supreme Court to step in and temporarily allow religious gatherings to operate at the same capacity as essential businesses .
`` Government can not set up rules that burden places of worship , or worship activities , that do not also pertain to other , comparable secular activities , '' special counsel Christopher Ferrara , who is representing the religious leaders , said .
`` That is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blatant abuse of the United States Constitution and its Amendments . ''
The application specifically takes issue with the state 's mandating a 25 percent capacity limit on in-person attendance at places of worship .
Some essential businesses , including schools , are allowed 100 percent capacity , while others , such as grocery and liquor stores , are allowed 50 percent capacity .
The application requests that religious institutions be treated as essential businesses .
`` We are eight months into this pandemic and still , religious organizations are having to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – something that is enshrined in our federal laws and in the constitutions of the states , '' Ferrara said .
The challenge comes as the virus surges across the country and states reimpose lockdown efforts .
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy 's ( D. ) office told the Washington Free Beacon that it does not comment on pending litigation .
New Jersey is the latest in a string of states experiencing legal conflict between state governments and religious institutions .
California has been locked in extended legal struggles with churches trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worship lifted .
In New York , a coalition of Jewish groups asked the Supreme Court to take action against New York governor Andrew Cuomo 's ( D. ) coronavirus restrictions .
The groups accused Cuomo of targeting Orthodox Jews after `` the governor explained that he was enacting new restrictions on places of worship , in certain neighborhoods that contain many Orthodox Jews , because he believed that this religious minority is to blame for a recent increase in COVID-19 infection rates . ''
Cuomo doubled down on his attacks on Orthodox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of unmasked guests in attendance , took place in a Brooklyn synagogue .

An Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a Catholic priest are teaming up to appeal to the Supreme Court in a religious-liberty lawsuit challenging New Jersey's coronavirus restrictions.
The pair of religious leaders said that the state's cap on in-person religious gatherings is lower than restrictions on non-religious events and that the state's mask mandate does not provide enough exemptions for religious gatherings. Religious gatherings "are still being treated unequally relative to numerous comparable secular activities," the two argue.
Rabbi Yisrael Knopfler, leader of an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, and Catholic priest Kevin Robinson filed an application with Supreme Court justice Samuel Alito, who indicated his sympathy for religious challenges to coronavirus restrictions in a speech earlier this month. The application asks the Supreme Court to step in and temporarily allow religious gatherings to operate at the same capacity as essential businesses.
"Government cannot set up rules that burden places of worship, or worship activities, that do not also pertain to other, comparable secular activities," special counsel Christopher Ferrara, who is representing the religious leaders, said. "That is the very crux of religious discrimination and a blatant abuse of the United States Constitution and its Amendments."
The application specifically takes issue with the state's mandating a 25 percent capacity limit on in-person attendance at places of worship. Some essential businesses, including schools, are allowed 100 percent capacity, while others, such as grocery and liquor stores, are allowed 50 percent capacity. The application requests that religious institutions be treated as essential businesses.
"We are eight months into this pandemic and still, religious organizations are having to appeal to the courts for non-discriminatory treatment – something that is enshrined in our federal laws and in the constitutions of the states," Ferrara said.
The challenge comes as the virus surges across the country and states reimpose lockdown efforts. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy's (D.) office told the Washington Free Beacon that it does not comment on pending litigation.
New Jersey is the latest in a string of states experiencing legal conflict between state governments and religious institutions. California has been locked in extended legal struggles with churches trying to get coronavirus restrictions on in-person, indoor worship lifted.
In New York, a coalition of Jewish groups asked the Supreme Court to take action against New York governor Andrew Cuomo's (D.) coronavirus restrictions. The groups accused Cuomo of targeting Orthodox Jews after "the governor explained that he was enacting new restrictions on places of worship, in certain neighborhoods that contain many Orthodox Jews, because he believed that this religious minority is to blame for a recent increase in COVID-19 infection rates."
Cuomo doubled down on his attacks on Orthodox communities after a secret wedding, with thousands of unmasked guests in attendance, took place in a Brooklyn synagogue.


freebeacon--2020-11-23--Cuomo Accepts Emmy as Pandemic Surges

Cuomo Accepts Emmy as Pandemic Surges

New York governor Andrew Cuomo ( D. ) accepted the International Emmy Founders Award for his pandemic press conferences Monday @ @ @ @ @ surged across his state .
After the Emmys presented a video of celebrities praising Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ acceptance speech saying his press conferences have offered `` authentic truth and stability . ''
@ @ @ @ @ New Yorkers who had the courage to tell the truth and the strength to stand @ @ @ @ @ ‘ New York tough ' really means , '' Cuomo said .
Celebrities including Robert @ @ @ @ @ and Billy Crystal celebrated Cuomo 's response to the virus .
The governor said he @ @ @ @ @ in show business .
Cuomo has taken heat for ordering thousands of COVID-positive patients back @ @ @ @ @ early weeks of the pandemic , which likely contributed to tens of thousands of infections @ @ @ @ @

New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D.) accepted the International Emmy Founders Award for his pandemic press conferences Monday morning, as the coronavirus surged across his state.
After the Emmys presented a video of celebrities praising Cuomo, the governor gave an acceptance speech saying his press conferences have offered "authentic truth and stability."
"I'm proud of New Yorkers who had the courage to tell the truth and the strength to stand together. That's what 'New York tough' really means," Cuomo said.
Celebrities including Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller, and Billy Crystal celebrated Cuomo's response to the virus. The governor said he appreciated the contributions of those in show business.
Cuomo has taken heat for ordering thousands of COVID-positive patients back into nursing homes in the early weeks of the pandemic, which likely contributed to tens of thousands of infections and thousands of deaths.