freebeacon--2020-03-13--Biden Taps Campaign Manager Who Advocated for AR-15 Confiscation

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is hiring the architect of Beto O'Rourke 's failed primary campaign , tapping a vocal advocate of AR-15 confiscation to lead him to victory in the general election .
Jen O'Malley Dillon will be Biden 's new campaign manager , according to the Washington Post .
While Biden has advocated for banning—but not confiscating—so-called assault weapons , Dillon led O'Rourke 's campaign as it adopted some of the most radical anti-gun policies in the Democratic field .
The longtime Democratic strategist also publicly backed the former Texas congressman when he called for the confiscation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of the El Paso shooting .
`` My son is 17 months old , which should n't f—ing matter , '' she tweeted in response to a September interview in which O'Rourke reiterated his call for AR-15 and AK-47 confiscation .
`` But thinking of that baby with shrapnel is [ sic ] his face almost broke me .
GET EVERY ONE OF THOSE G—D—N GUNS OFF OUR STREETS . ''
The Biden campaign did not return a request for comment .
The addition of Dillon to Biden 's campaign raises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president stands on the issue of gun confiscation .
Upon receiving O'Rourke 's endorsement , Biden said the former congressman would lead his administration 's gun-control efforts .
The Democratic frontrunner has tacked far to the left on Second Amendment issues as he consolidated support from his former rivals .
In September , he told CNN he did not believe it was legal to force Americans to turn in firearms they legally owned .
On Tuesday , when confronted by an autoworker about his embrace of O'Rourke 's mandatory buyback proposal , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cursed out the man and threatened to fight him .
`` You 're full of s—t , '' Biden told the Michigan worker .
`` I have a shotgun , I have a 20-gauge , a 12-gauge .
My sons hunt .
Guess what ?
You 're not allowed to own any weapon .
I 'm not taking your gun away , at all . ''
When the worker told Biden not to put his finger in his face , Biden said , `` Do n't tell me that pal or I 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' O'Rourke 's embrace of confiscation came as his campaign floundered in the single digits in September .
The hardline position on gun control failed to boost O'Rourke in the polls , however , and he dropped out in November .
After the O'Rourke campaign ended , Dillon became a campaign adviser for Biden .
While Biden and Dillon appear to have conflicting views on confiscation , it is not clear how the difference will affect the campaign moving forward .
Dr. Larry J. Sabato , director of the University of Virginia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Free Beacon that campaign managers often shift their positions in accord with their candidate 's views .
`` No one can say for sure but here 's what I 've learned from watching a thousand campaigns , '' he said .
`` The managers who survive and prosper are those who adjust their views to fit the candidate , and not the other way around . ''
Campaign staffers do not always adjust their own views .
In June , Biden embraced taxpayer funding for abortion despite supporting the Hyde Amendment for four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulling their candidate further to the left , despite the fact that voters overwhelmingly support the ban on federal abortion funding .
Biden 's campaign has cultivated an image of the candidate as a moderate in his run against Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) , but he has staked out radical positions on gun control despite stopping short of confiscation .
He has supported a ban on future sales of so-called assault rifles and a voluntary buyback .
He also called for a sales ban on all guns except theoretical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently available for sale anywhere in the United States—a ban on guns and magazines that hold `` multiple rounds , '' as well as a national gun registry .
Alan Gottlieb , founder of the Second Amendment Foundation , said Dillon is unlikely to make Biden 's gun-control positions much worse because the candidate had already moved so far to the left .
`` I do n't think Beto 's former campaign manager can move Biden to be any more extreme on anti-gun-rights policy , '' he said .
`` Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they still destroy our Second Amendment Rights . ''
Mark Oliva , spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation , said Biden has already done enough to alienate gun owners with his policies and `` by bringing Robert Francis O'Rourke [ in ] as his gun control sheriff . ''
`` Joe Biden 's antipathy toward gun rights is evident , '' Oliva told the Free Beacon .
`` Voters , and our industry , have every reason to be suspicious of Joe Biden 's anti-gun platforms .
He 's yet to offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he 's adopted far-left positions on gun control . ''

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is hiring the architect of Beto O'Rourke's failed primary campaign, tapping a vocal advocate of AR-15 confiscation to lead him to victory in the general election.
Jen O'Malley Dillon will be Biden's new campaign manager, according to the Washington Post. While Biden has advocated for banning—but not confiscating—so-called assault weapons, Dillon led O'Rourke's campaign as it adopted some of the most radical anti-gun policies in the Democratic field. The longtime Democratic strategist also publicly backed the former Texas congressman when he called for the confiscation of AR-15s and other popular firearms in the wake of the El Paso shooting.
"My son is 17 months old, which shouldn't f—ing matter," she tweeted in response to a September interview in which O'Rourke reiterated his call for AR-15 and AK-47 confiscation. "But thinking of that baby with shrapnel is [sic] his face almost broke me. GET EVERY ONE OF THOSE G—D—N GUNS OFF OUR STREETS."
The Biden campaign did not return a request for comment.
The addition of Dillon to Biden's campaign raises new questions about where the former vice president stands on the issue of gun confiscation.
Upon receiving O'Rourke's endorsement, Biden said the former congressman would lead his administration's gun-control efforts. The Democratic frontrunner has tacked far to the left on Second Amendment issues as he consolidated support from his former rivals. In September, he told CNN he did not believe it was legal to force Americans to turn in firearms they legally owned. On Tuesday, when confronted by an autoworker about his embrace of O'Rourke's mandatory buyback proposal, Biden denied that he supported confiscation and then cursed out the man and threatened to fight him.
"You're full of s—t," Biden told the Michigan worker. "I have a shotgun, I have a 20-gauge, a 12-gauge. My sons hunt. Guess what? You're not allowed to own any weapon. I'm not taking your gun away, at all."
When the worker told Biden not to put his finger in his face, Biden said, "Don't tell me that pal or I'll have to go outside with you."
O'Rourke's embrace of confiscation came as his campaign floundered in the single digits in September. The hardline position on gun control failed to boost O'Rourke in the polls, however, and he dropped out in November. After the O'Rourke campaign ended, Dillon became a campaign adviser for Biden.
While Biden and Dillon appear to have conflicting views on confiscation, it is not clear how the difference will affect the campaign moving forward. Dr. Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, told the Washington Free Beacon that campaign managers often shift their positions in accord with their candidate's views.
"No one can say for sure but here's what I've learned from watching a thousand campaigns," he said. "The managers who survive and prosper are those who adjust their views to fit the candidate, and not the other way around."
Campaign staffers do not always adjust their own views. In June, Biden embraced taxpayer funding for abortion despite supporting the Hyde Amendment for four decades. Campaign advisers claimed credit for pulling their candidate further to the left, despite the fact that voters overwhelmingly support the ban on federal abortion funding.
Biden's campaign has cultivated an image of the candidate as a moderate in his run against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), but he has staked out radical positions on gun control despite stopping short of confiscation. He has supported a ban on future sales of so-called assault rifles and a voluntary buyback. He also called for a sales ban on all guns except theoretical "smart guns"—which are not currently available for sale anywhere in the United States—a ban on guns and magazines that hold "multiple rounds," as well as a national gun registry.
Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, said Dillon is unlikely to make Biden's gun-control positions much worse because the candidate had already moved so far to the left.
"I don't think Beto's former campaign manager can move Biden to be any more extreme on anti-gun-rights policy," he said. "Biden’s differences with Beto are so minor that they still destroy our Second Amendment Rights."
Mark Oliva, spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said Biden has already done enough to alienate gun owners with his policies and "by bringing Robert Francis O'Rourke [in] as his gun control sheriff."
"Joe Biden's antipathy toward gun rights is evident," Oliva told the Free Beacon. "Voters, and our industry, have every reason to be suspicious of Joe Biden's anti-gun platforms. He's yet to offer a single idea to hold criminals accountable, but he's adopted far-left positions on gun control."


freebeacon--2020-03-13--FLASHBACK: When Media and Dem Pundits Thought Joe Biden Was Declining and Out of Touch

With Joe Biden widening his lead for the 2020 Democratic nomination , the Washington Free Beacon looks back at media @ @ @ @ @ the past year who called him out of touch , in cognitive decline , racially @ @ @ @ @ David Rutz is senior writer at the Washington Free Beacon .
He was previously a @ @ @ @ @ in Atlanta and has done freelance sports reporting for the Washington Post .
He graduated @ @ @ @ @ and lives in Marietta , Ga. His Twitter handle is @ DavidRutz .
He can @ @ @ @ @ freebeacon.com .

With Joe Biden widening his lead for the 2020 Democratic nomination, the Washington Free Beacon looks back at media members and Democratic pundits over the past year who called him out of touch, in cognitive decline, racially problematic, and worse.


freebeacon--2020-03-14--After Supreme Court Bans Mandatory Union Fees, Workers Ask for Refunds

In 2018 , Mark Janus convinced the Supreme Court that mandatory government union dues violate the First Amendment .
Now he wants his money back .
After his triumph at the High Court , Janus asked a federal trial judge to require the American Federation of State , County , and Municipal Employees ( AFSCME ) pay out about $ 3,000 in agency fees the union collected from his paycheck between 2013 and 2018 .
The judge declined and Janus lost on appeal , prompting a new petition to the Supreme Court .
So-called right-to-work cause lawyers including the Liberty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Work Foundation are litigating some 30 cases that collectively seek $ 120 million in garnished wages for public sector workers .
Public sector unions proved surprisingly resilient after the Janus decision , seeing modest increases in membership and limited losses of revenue .
Judgments ordering restitution to aggrieved workers , however , could vindicate doomsayers who predicted the end of agency fees would devastate organized labor .
Approximately 5.9 million public employees paid mandatory fees prior to Janus , a massive pool of prospective plaintiffs .
`` The Supreme Court has already sided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public employees to fund union activities violates the First Amendment , but almost two years later , he and countless public servants across the country are still awaiting the return of their hard-earned dollars that were taken from them in violation of their rights , '' said National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation president Mark Mix .
`` The Supreme Court should follow its clear logic from the original Janus decision and take this case again to ensure that public sector union bosses are not permitted to profit from their widespread violation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Janus sought damages from AFSCME under a federal civil rights law .
The union refused , saying no damages were owed because it operated under a good faith belief that mandatory fee collection was constitutional .
The Supreme Court expressly sanctioned agency fees in a 1977 case called Abood v. Detroit Board of Education , and laws permitting the practice existed in many states .
In turn , Janus said a good faith defense is not available under the civil rights law .
Even if it were , he continued , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case because the Supreme Court signaled serious misgivings about mandatory union fees in a pair of cases from 2012 and 2014 .
AFSCME was on notice that agency fees were legally suspect and it should have changed its behavior , Janus argued .
The trial judge sided with AFSCME , finding that the union could not have anticipated that the law would change .
The Seventh U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed , saying that the rule of law `` requires that parties abide by , and be able to rely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than what the readers of tea‐leaves predict that it might be in the future . ''
`` Until Janus said otherwise , AFSCME had a legal right to receive and spend fair-share fees collected from nonmembers as long as it complied with state law and the Abood line of cases , '' the Seventh Circuit decision reads .
`` It did not demonstrate bad faith when it followed these rules . ''
Trial judges in about two dozen other cases and two appeals courts have reached the same conclusion and rebuffed worker attempts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stand , those decisions `` are likely to doom all such cases , '' Janus 's petition to the High Court warns .
`` This Court should grant review so the employees in these suits can recover a portion of the ‘ windfall ' of compulsory fees unions wrongfully seized from them , '' the petition reads .
Other Janus follow-on cases are currently pending before the Supreme Court .
One petition asks the Court to declare the so-called integrated bar unlawful under Janus .
Integrated bar rules require lawyers to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a condition of practicing law .
Another petition asks whether employers can designate a union as the sole representative of its workers in collective bargaining .
The Court will hear the case in its next term , which begins in October , if it grants review .
AFSCME 's response to Janus 's petition is due on April 9 .
The case is No .
19-1104 Janus v. American Federation of State , County and Municipal Employees , Council 31 .
Cert Petition No .
19-1104 J… by Washington Free Beacon on @

In 2018, Mark Janus convinced the Supreme Court that mandatory government union dues violate the First Amendment. Now he wants his money back.
After his triumph at the High Court, Janus asked a federal trial judge to require the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) pay out about $3,000 in agency fees the union collected from his paycheck between 2013 and 2018. The judge declined and Janus lost on appeal, prompting a new petition to the Supreme Court.
So-called right-to-work cause lawyers including the Liberty Justice Center and the National Right to Work Foundation are litigating some 30 cases that collectively seek $120 million in garnished wages for public sector workers. Public sector unions proved surprisingly resilient after the Janus decision, seeing modest increases in membership and limited losses of revenue. Judgments ordering restitution to aggrieved workers, however, could vindicate doomsayers who predicted the end of agency fees would devastate organized labor. Approximately 5.9 million public employees paid mandatory fees prior to Janus, a massive pool of prospective plaintiffs.
"The Supreme Court has already sided with Mark Janus and ruled that forcing public employees to fund union activities violates the First Amendment, but almost two years later, he and countless public servants across the country are still awaiting the return of their hard-earned dollars that were taken from them in violation of their rights," said National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation president Mark Mix.
"The Supreme Court should follow its clear logic from the original Janus decision and take this case again to ensure that public sector union bosses are not permitted to profit from their widespread violation of workers' rights," Mix added.
Janus sought damages from AFSCME under a federal civil rights law. The union refused, saying no damages were owed because it operated under a good faith belief that mandatory fee collection was constitutional. The Supreme Court expressly sanctioned agency fees in a 1977 case called Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, and laws permitting the practice existed in many states.
In turn, Janus said a good faith defense is not available under the civil rights law. Even if it were, he continued, that defense cannot prevail in his case because the Supreme Court signaled serious misgivings about mandatory union fees in a pair of cases from 2012 and 2014. AFSCME was on notice that agency fees were legally suspect and it should have changed its behavior, Janus argued.
The trial judge sided with AFSCME, finding that the union could not have anticipated that the law would change. The Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed, saying that the rule of law "requires that parties abide by, and be able to rely on, what the law is, rather than what the readers of tea‐leaves predict that it might be in the future."
"Until Janus said otherwise, AFSCME had a legal right to receive and spend fair-share fees collected from nonmembers as long as it complied with state law and the Abood line of cases," the Seventh Circuit decision reads. "It did not demonstrate bad faith when it followed these rules."
Trial judges in about two dozen other cases and two appeals courts have reached the same conclusion and rebuffed worker attempts to recoup lost wages. If allowed to stand, those decisions "are likely to doom all such cases," Janus's petition to the High Court warns.
"This Court should grant review so the employees in these suits can recover a portion of the 'windfall' of compulsory fees unions wrongfully seized from them," the petition reads.
Other Janus follow-on cases are currently pending before the Supreme Court. One petition asks the Court to declare the so-called integrated bar unlawful under Janus. Integrated bar rules require lawyers to join a state bar association and pay fees as a condition of practicing law. Another petition asks whether employers can designate a union as the sole representative of its workers in collective bargaining.
The Court will hear the case in its next term, which begins in October, if it grants review. AFSCME's response to Janus's petition is due on April 9. The case is No. 19-1104 Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 31.
Cert Petition No. 19-1104 J... by Washington Free Beacon on Scribd


freebeacon--2020-03-15--Ahead of Debate Showdown, Biden Embraces the Bernie Wing

Joe Biden on Sunday embraced two major proposals from his progressive primary competitors , signaling a swing left to consolidate the party in advance of the evening 's primary debate .
Biden announced that he would be adopting two plans forwarded by Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) —his sole remaining serious competition in the primary—and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
, who departed the race after a crushing defeat in her home state , but has refused to endorse either Sanders or Biden .
Biden 's announcement appears to be a calculated effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wing , ending a divisive primary campaign well in advance of July 's Democratic National Convention .
In doing so , however , Biden moves himself even further left , exposing himself to attacks from the center by President Donald Trump come general election season .
Biden on Sunday claimed to draw one plan each from Sanders and Warren .
To the Vermont senator , he attributed `` a plan that would make public colleges and universities free for families whose income is below $ 125,000 , '' saying that he is `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
In fact , Sanders 's plan would not cap eligibility for public colleges and universities , instead promising to appropriate $ 48 billion a year to categorically eliminate tuitions and fees at public colleges—a move in line with Sanders 's apparent preference for universal , rather than means-tested , approaches to policy .
( Warren also would have funded universal college . )
A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in November found that over 86 percent of households would lose out under Sanders 's plan , primarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reducing the quality of public education in general .
Additionally , Biden announced that he would adopt Warren 's `` bankruptcy plan , '' a topic that has been near and dear to the Massachusetts senator 's heart since her time as a legal scholar .
Warren 's plan—which would aim to alter the balance of power in bankruptcy litigation through a number of legal changes—is based on her own study of the causes and frequency of bankruptcy , analysis which has been criticized as poorly designed .
Biden 's adoption of Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mollify the last remaining opposition to his historic seizure of the Democratic nomination .
Following endorsements by former opponents Pete Buttigieg , Beto O'Rourke , and Sen. Amy Klobuchar .
( D. , Minn. ) , as well as scores of others , Biden handily won most of the delegates up for grabs on both Super Tuesday and last week 's smaller `` Super Tuesday Two . ''
Sanders , however , has indicated that he will remain in the race , hoping to wring concessions out of Biden of precisely the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concessions , however , risk tarnishing Biden 's carefully tailored—and often misleading—image as a moderate .
Free college is broadly popular , but another move to the left may indicate to voters that Biden is more concerned about winning with Sanders 's base than mollifying the moderate voters who have handed him the crown .

Joe Biden on Sunday embraced two major proposals from his progressive primary competitors, signaling a swing to the left to consolidate the party in advance of the evening's primary debate.
Biden announced that he would be adopting two plans forwarded by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.)—his sole remaining serious competition in the primary—and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), who departed the race after a crushing defeat in her home state but has refused to endorse either Sanders or Biden.
Biden's announcement appears to be a calculated effort to consolidate the party's holdout left wing, ending a divisive primary campaign well in advance of July's Democratic National Convention. In doing so, however, Biden moves himself even further left, exposing himself to attacks from the center by President Donald Trump come general election season.
Biden on Sunday claimed to draw one plan each from Sanders and Warren. To the Vermont senator, he attributed "a plan that would make public colleges and universities free for families whose income is below $125,000," saying that he is "proud to add it to my platform."
In fact, Sanders's plan would not cap eligibility for public colleges and universities, instead promising to appropriate $48 billion a year to categorically eliminate tuitions and fees at public colleges—a move in line with Sanders's apparent preference for universal, rather than means-tested, approaches to policy. (Warren also would have funded universal college.) A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in November found that over 86 percent of households would lose out under Sanders's plan, primarily by constraining state expenditures on and thereby reducing the quality of public education in general.
Additionally, Biden announced that he would adopt Warren's "bankruptcy plan," a topic that has been near and dear to the Massachusetts senator's heart since her time as a legal scholar. Warren's plan—which would aim to alter the balance of power in bankruptcy litigation through a number of legal changes—is based on her own study of the causes and frequency of bankruptcy, analysis which has been criticized as poorly designed.
Biden's adoption of Sanders's and Warren's ideas appears designed to mollify the last remaining opposition to his historic seizure of the Democratic nomination. Following endorsements by former opponents Pete Buttigieg, Beto O'Rourke, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.), as well as scores of others, Biden handily won most of the delegates up for grabs on both Super Tuesday and last week's smaller "Super Tuesday Two." Sanders, however, has indicated that he will remain in the race, hoping to wring concessions out of Biden of precisely the kind the frontrunner offered Sunday.
Such concessions, however, risk tarnishing Biden's carefully tailored—and often misleading—image as a moderate. Free college is broadly popular, but another move to the left may indicate to voters that Biden is more concerned about winning with Sanders's base than mollifying the moderate voters who have handed him the crown.


freebeacon--2020-03-15--Dark Money Juggernaut Gets Behind Steve Bullock, Who’s Long Derided Influence of Hidden Money

Montana governor Steve Bullock has spent his entire political career saying he wants to remove dark money from politics .
Now running for the U.S. Senate , Bullock is receiving help from one of the largest liberal dark money networks in America .
Protect Our Care , a shadowy group that attacks Republicans on health care issues , announced Thursday it is spending $ 250,000 to support Bullock .
The money will buy television ads hitting Bullock 's opponent , Sen. Steve Daines ( R. ) , on his health care record amid coronavirus fears .
Protect Our Care is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some of the wealthiest donors in the Democratic Party .
Bullock has expressed aggressive opposition to the influence of such entities in the past .
Bullock , who announced his candidacy for the Senate on March 9 , has long been a campaign-finance reform and transparency advocate .
He centered his short-lived presidential campaign around campaign-finance reform and opposing secret money in politics .
The `` One Big Idea '' on his campaign 's website included an executive order to crack down on dark money spending .
As Montana 's governor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups to report how they spend their cash on state elections .
It appears Bullock has now reversed course .
Protect Our Care falls under the umbrella of Arabella Advisors , a dark money network responsible for concealing the source of $ 600 million funneled to liberal causes in 2018 alone .
It is used by some of the Democratic Party 's biggest donors , including millionaire and billionaire members of the Democracy Alliance , a donor club cofounded by George Soros .
Protect Our Care is a project of Arabella 's Sixteen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers its legal and tax-exempt status to groups the IRS does not recognize as nonprofits .
Sixteen Thirty contains dozens of groups and initiatives that work to advance liberal causes .
It pushed $ 141 million to such efforts in 2018 , the most recent year for which its tax forms are available .
Protect Our Care has backed numerous political campaigns across the United States .
Two days before the group placed its six-figure ad buy in Montana , it released a video of former president Barack Obama defending the Affordable Care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new case that could wipe out the legislation .
Protect Our Care is now hitting Sen. Daines over his opposition to the Affordable Care Act .
`` In the Senate , Steve Daines claimed he would ‘ work tirelessly ' to repeal the Affordable Care Act and demonstrated that by voting five times to repeal the law , '' the group wrote in its announcement of the ad buy .
Bullock 's campaign did not respond to a request for comment .
The ad is one of the first supporting Bullock since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bullock had long insisted he was not interested in the Senate seat .
He met with Obama and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) last month .
The `` top tier '' race between Daines and Bullock is viewed as pivotal in helping decide which party will control the Senate after November 's elections .

Montana governor Steve Bullock has spent his entire political career saying he wants to remove dark money from politics. Now running for the U.S. Senate, Bullock is receiving help from one of the largest liberal dark money networks in America.
Protect Our Care, a shadowy group that attacks Republicans on health care issues, announced Thursday it is spending $250,000 to support Bullock. The money will buy television ads hitting Bullock's opponent, Sen. Steve Daines (R.), on his health care record amid coronavirus fears. Protect Our Care is part of a dark money juggernaut used by some of the wealthiest donors in the Democratic Party. Bullock has expressed aggressive opposition to the influence of such entities in the past.
Bullock, who announced his candidacy for the Senate on March 9, has long been a campaign-finance reform and transparency advocate. He centered his short-lived presidential campaign around campaign-finance reform and opposing secret money in politics. The "One Big Idea" on his campaign's website included an executive order to crack down on dark money spending. As Montana's governor, he signed a law requiring dark money groups to report how they spend their cash on state elections.
It appears Bullock has now reversed course. Protect Our Care falls under the umbrella of Arabella Advisors, a dark money network responsible for concealing the source of $600 million funneled to liberal causes in 2018 alone. It is used by some of the Democratic Party's biggest donors, including millionaire and billionaire members of the Democracy Alliance, a donor club cofounded by George Soros.
Protect Our Care is a project of Arabella's Sixteen Thirty Fund, a fiscal sponsor that offers its legal and tax-exempt status to groups the IRS does not recognize as nonprofits. Sixteen Thirty contains dozens of groups and initiatives that work to advance liberal causes. It pushed $141 million to such efforts in 2018, the most recent year for which its tax forms are available.
Protect Our Care has backed numerous political campaigns across the United States. Two days before the group placed its six-figure ad buy in Montana, it released a video of former president Barack Obama defending the Affordable Care Act as the Supreme Court took up a new case that could wipe out the legislation.
Protect Our Care is now hitting Sen. Daines over his opposition to the Affordable Care Act. "In the Senate, Steve Daines claimed he would 'work tirelessly' to repeal the Affordable Care Act and demonstrated that by voting five times to repeal the law," the group wrote in its announcement of the ad buy.
Bullock's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The ad is one of the first supporting Bullock since he announced his candidacy for the Senate. Bullock had long insisted he was not interested in the Senate seat. He met with Obama and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) last month.
The "top tier" race between Daines and Bullock is viewed as pivotal in helping decide which party will control the Senate after November's elections.


freebeacon--2020-03-15--Infectious Diseases Expert Dismisses CNN Question on Touching Microphone

Dr. Anthony Fauci dismissed a question from CNN anchor Brianna Keilar about Fauci adjusting a microphone during a press conference , telling her to `` get real here . ''
`` Not everybody in the United States should take a test .
I have no symptoms .
There 's no reason for me to take a test .
If I 'm in a situation where I 'm at a higher risk , I will take a test , '' Fauci said Sunday morning on State of the Union .
`` The picture you showed about the microphone , let 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting my two fingers to get the microphone down is n't that bad .
I do n't think we should make something of that , '' Fauci added .
Keilar mentioned Fauci adjusted a microphone with President Trump , who the White House said tested negative for the coronavirus , and asked the infectious diseases expert if he planned to take a coronavirus test .
Fauci dismissed the question and added that social distancing and limiting physical contact between people is one of the most important focuses right now .
Fauci , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Infectious Diseases and a member of the coronavirus task force , has become the face of the federal government 's public response to the coronavirus pandemic .
He also said Sunday morning that Americans should be taking the pandemic seriously , stressing that , `` There are going to be people who are young who are going to wind up getting seriously ill . ''

Dr. Anthony Fauci dismissed a question from CNN anchor Brianna Keilar about Fauci adjusting a microphone during a press conference, telling her to "get real here."
"Not everybody in the United States should take a test. I have no symptoms. There's no reason for me to take a test. If I'm in a situation where I'm at a higher risk, I will take a test," Fauci said Sunday morning on State of the Union. "The picture you showed about the microphone, let's get real here."
"My putting my two fingers to get the microphone down isn't that bad. I don't think we should make something of that," Fauci added.
Keilar mentioned Fauci adjusted a microphone with President Trump, who the White House said tested negative for the coronavirus, and asked the infectious diseases expert if he planned to take a coronavirus test.
Fauci dismissed the question and added that social distancing and limiting physical contact between people is one of the most important focuses right now.
As the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the coronavirus task force, Fauci has become the face of the federal government's public response to the coronavirus pandemic.
He also said Sunday morning that Americans should be taking the pandemic seriously, stressing that, "There are going to be people who are young who are going to wind up getting seriously ill."


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Hunter Biden’s Foreign Visits Cost Taxpayers $200,000

Then-vice president Joe Biden spared no words when he extolled the virtues of his second son , Hunter Biden , in a 2013 address to South Korean students at the elite Yonsei University .
`` And as I speak , my son has just boarded—my grown son has just boarded a plane , an aircraft—he ’ s heading to the Philippines , '' Biden said .
`` His name is Hunter Biden .
He ’ s chairman of the World Food Program USA , and he 's going there out in the field , like so many of you did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and the tens of thousands of young people around the world who either went or wanted to . ''
But Hunter Biden was n't exactly going `` out in the fields '' in the same way a naive 20-something might travel to the developing world to dig wells and build schools .
What Joe Biden did n't tell the next generation of South Korean elite was that his son was visiting the Philippines with a Secret Service entourage that was costing U.S. taxpayers a fortune .
As Hunter Biden zipped across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid $ 193,696 for his Secret Service entourage .
That amount is nearly four times the recorded security bill of the four adult Trump children—combined .
While his father Joe Biden was vice president , Hunter Biden traveled with a Secret Service entourage to at least 10 different countries , including China , Qatar , and South Africa , according to a government expenditure database .
He racked up 28 separate bills , all of which involved taxpayer payments to a `` miscellaneous foreign contractor '' or `` miscellaneous foreign awardee . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money was used to pay for accommodations for the Secret Service , but others were scant on details .
With few details about Hunter Biden 's travels publicly disclosed , the database is far from a complete account of his foreign activities .
The limited disclosures do shed light on the taxpayer burden of Hunter Biden 's lucrative global business career , which far eclipses the Secret Service costs for other presidential and vice-presidential family members disclosed in the database .
George Mesires , Hunter Biden 's attorney , did not respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump children combined , for example , are recorded to have spent about $ 40,000 .
The one exception to this rule is security costs for first ladies : Critics have denounced both Michelle Obama and Melania Trump for excessive security costs .
But first ladies often , though not always , accrue those fees on official government visits , while Hunter Biden never held an official government position .
Sean Moulton , a senior policy analyst at the Project on Government Oversight , cautioned that the government database is far from complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for security reasons .
He added that it is unclear why Hunter Biden 's security is so expensive compared to his peers—it could be Hunter Biden traveled more frequently or in larger groups , but there is no way to know without more complete details .
The Secret Service did not return a request for comment .
As Joe Biden cements his place as the presumptive Democratic nominee , Sens .
Chuck Grassley ( R. , Iowa ) and Ron Johnson ( R. , Wis. ) have renewed congressional scrutiny of Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probe , the senators requested Hunter Biden 's travel records from the Secret Service in February to unearth `` potential conflicts of interest posed by the business activities of Hunter Biden and his associates . ''
In their letter to the Secret Service , Grassley and Johnson zeroed in on two examples of Hunter Biden 's foreign entanglement , one each in Ukraine and China .
Hunter Biden was a board member of Burisma , a Ukrainian energy company , while his father handled the Obama White House 's Ukraine policy .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private equity company BHR Partners , organizing a meet-and-greet between Joe Biden and BHR CEO Jonathan Li on Dec. 4 , 2013 , according to the New Yorker .
The database has not disclosed details about the Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden 's time in Ukraine .
It does , however , show that Hunter visited China on at least two other occasions , once each before and after the December 2013 meeting .
The records show that Hunter Biden stayed in China for one to two weeks in June 2013 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13,000 .
Expenditures related to Hunter Biden 's trips to the Phillippines are filed under `` WFP , '' which stands for World Food Program USA , the nonprofit group that Joe Biden told the South Korean students about .
But while Hunter Biden snapped pictures of himself as a man-of-the-people mingling with the disaster-struck children of the Philippines , that did not stop him and his Secret Service guards from checking into rooms at the St. Regis Doha in Qatar , a luxury hotel that cost taxpayers roughly $ 11,000 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exact purpose of Hunter Biden 's trips .
Moulton said that the categorization of all Secret Service expenditures as `` miscellaneous '' is a `` frustrating lack of transparency . ''
`` Sometimes there are security concerns for recipients of USA money ( either contracts or aid ) that require keeping them anonymous to protect them from possible reprisals from those unhappy with our country , '' he said in an email .
`` But too often the convention is used for convenience because agencies may not have all of the information required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
This is not the first time the Biden family has used the Secret Service for its personal benefit .
While in the White House , Joe Biden charged rent for the Secret Service agents stationed in his Wilmington , Del.
, property , costing taxpayers $ 171,600 between 2011 and 2017 .
Biden 's campaign did not respond to a request for comment .

Then-vice president Joe Biden spared no words when he extolled the virtues of his second son, Hunter Biden, in a 2013 address to South Korean students at the elite Yonsei University.
"And as I speak, my son has just boarded—my grown son has just boarded a plane, an aircraft—he’s heading to the Philippines," Biden said. "His name is Hunter Biden. He’s chairman of the World Food Program USA, and he's going there out in the field, like so many of you did. I'm so incredibly proud of him and the tens of thousands of young people around the world who either went or wanted to."
But Hunter Biden wasn't exactly going "out in the fields" in the same way a naive 20-something might travel to the developing world to dig wells and build schools. What Joe Biden didn't tell the next generation of South Korean elite was that his son was visiting the Philippines with a Secret Service entourage that was costing U.S. taxpayers a fortune.
As Hunter Biden zipped across the globe for his business deals, taxpayers paid $193,696 for his Secret Service entourage, according to an official database that reports unclassified government expenditures. That amount is nearly four times the recorded security bill of the four adult Trump children—combined.
While his father Joe Biden was vice president, Hunter Biden traveled with a Secret Service entourage to at least 10 different countries, including China, Qatar, and South Africa, according to a government expenditure database. He racked up 28 separate bills, all of which involved taxpayer payments to a "miscellaneous foreign contractor" or "miscellaneous foreign awardee." Many of the bills explicitly said that the money was used to pay for accommodations for the Secret Service, but others were scant on details.
With few details about Hunter Biden's travels publicly disclosed, the database is far from a complete account of his foreign activities. The limited disclosures do shed light on the taxpayer burden of Hunter Biden's lucrative global business career, which far eclipses the Secret Service costs for other presidential and vice-presidential family members disclosed in the database. George Mesires, Hunter Biden's attorney, did not respond to a request for comment.
The Trump children combined, for example, are recorded to have spent about $40,000. The one exception to this rule is security costs for first ladies: Critics have denounced both Michelle Obama and Melania Trump for excessive security costs. But first ladies often, though not always, accrue those fees on official government visits, while Hunter Biden never held an official government position.
Sean Moulton, a senior policy analyst at the Project on Government Oversight, cautioned that the government database is far from complete because the Secret Service withholds much information for security reasons. He added that it is unclear why Hunter Biden's security is so expensive compared to his peers—it could be Hunter Biden traveled more frequently or in larger groups, but there is no way to know without more complete details.
The Secret Service did not return a request for comment.
As Joe Biden cements his place as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) have renewed congressional scrutiny of Biden's troubled son. As part of their probe, the senators requested Hunter Biden's travel records from the Secret Service in February to unearth "potential conflicts of interest posed by the business activities of Hunter Biden and his associates."
In their letter to the Secret Service, Grassley and Johnson zeroed in on two examples of Hunter Biden's foreign entanglement, one each in Ukraine and China. Hunter Biden was a board member of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, while his father handled the Obama White House's Ukraine policy. He also served on the board of Chinese private equity company BHR Partners, organizing a meet-and-greet between Joe Biden and BHR CEO Jonathan Li on Dec. 4, 2013, according to the New Yorker.
The database has not disclosed details about the Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden's time in Ukraine. It does, however, show that Hunter visited China on at least two other occasions, once each before and after the December 2013 meeting. The records show that Hunter Biden stayed in China for one to two weeks in June 2013 and March 2014, costing taxpayers nearly $13,000.
Expenditures related to Hunter Biden's trips to the Phillippines are filed under "WFP," which stands for World Food Program USA, the nonprofit group that Joe Biden told the South Korean students about. But while Hunter Biden snapped pictures of himself as a man-of-the-people mingling with the disaster-struck children of the Philippines, that did not stop him and his Secret Service guards from checking into rooms at the St. Regis Doha in Qatar, a luxury hotel that cost taxpayers roughly $11,000.
The disclosed expenditures provide scant details about the exact purpose of Hunter Biden's trips. Moulton said that the categorization of all Secret Service expenditures as "miscellaneous" is a "frustrating lack of transparency."
"Sometimes there are security concerns for recipients of USA money (either contracts or aid) that require keeping them anonymous to protect them from possible reprisals from those unhappy with our country," he said in an email. "But too often the convention is used for convenience because agencies may not have all of the information required to be reported for each foreign contractor."
This is not the first time the Biden family has used the Secret Service for its personal benefit. While in the White House, Joe Biden charged rent for the Secret Service agents stationed in his Wilmington, Del., property, costing taxpayers $171,600 between 2011 and 2017. Biden's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--‘Missing a Tablespoon of Blood’: Quincy Institute Scholar Laments Lack of Violence Amid Corona Outbr

‘Missing a Tablespoon of Blood’: Quincy Institute Scholar Laments Lack of Violence Amid Corona Outbreak in Israel

The managing director for research and policy of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft appeared to celebrate the draconian measures employed by the Israeli government to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Then she argued that whatever discomforts they impose on Israeli citizens , they are not enough to compensate for the suffering Israel has inflicted on its Palestinian neighbors .
`` Such a tiny taste .
Missing a tablespoon of blood , '' Sarah Leah Whitson wrote in a now-deleted tweet .
Whitson was responding to a tweet from the Israeli-American journalist Mairav Zonszein , who wrote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a taste of what around the same number of Palestinians living under occupation have experienced for over half a century . ''
Zonszein was referring to the tactics now being embraced by the Israeli government to reduce transmission of the coronavirus , including antiterrorism measures like cell phone tracking of infected individuals .
Neither Whitson nor the Quincy Institute replied to a request for comment .
The Israeli government took drastic action over the weekend , including the closings of restaurants , bars , and gyms .
Whitson appeared to be expressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the violence perpetrated by the Israeli government on the Palestinians .
`` It is stunningly revolting , '' said Deborah Lipstadt , a scholar of modern Judaism and anti-Semitism at Emory University and the author of a modern history of anti-Semitism .
After facing a flood of criticism on Twitter—as well as inquiries from the Washington Free Beacon—Whitson deleted her tweet and posted a follow up arguing that her previous tweet `` did n't come out right '' and that she had deleted it `` to prevent misinterpretation . ''
She made no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurt or offended Jews .
`` Erased tweet responding to one comparing experience of Israelis under lockdown to Palestinians under decades of lockdown , '' Whitson tweeted Sunday evening .
`` My point was that [ Palestinian ] experience includes violence .
Should 've emphasized I abhor all violence .
Did n't come out right so now gone to prevent misinterpretation . ''
Pro-Israel advocates were not placated by her reversal , however .
Rabbi Abraham Cooper , associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center , which combats anti-Semitism , called on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` With all of the accusations of bias swirling around the Quincy Institute , will they back or bash her vicious anti-Semitism ? ''
The Quincy Institute , which is supported by Charles Koch and George Soros , launched late last year with the stated goal of promoting a more restrained and less interventionist U.S. foreign policy .
But the organization has been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism and has refused to answer questions about why some of its experts have attacked a so-called Jewish lobby and argued that American Jews control U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lengthy history of anti-Israel activism .
Most notably , she made headlines as a director at Human Rights Watch when she traveled to Saudi Arabia for meetings with government officials to raise money for the organization by promoting its criticism of Israel .
In February 2019 , she accused Israel of interfering in British politics , a claim that has historically been used to paint Jews as part of a nefarious global plot .
In 2017 , NGO Monitor , a group that monitors anti-Israel figures , criticized Whitson for promoting falsehoods against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitson , director of HRW 's Middle East and North Africa Division , attacks Israel with a stream of false claims and demonization , '' the group said at the time .
`` According to Whitson , ‘ Israel claims to treat Jerusalem as a unified city , but the reality is effectively one set of rules for Jews and another for Palestinians . '
'' `` The deliberate use of ‘ Jews ' in place of ‘ Israelis ' by Whitson and HRW is also offensive , if not anti-Semitic , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it allows HRW to accuse Israel of ‘ discrimination ' and a ‘ two-tiered system , ' instead of acknowledging obvious and reasonable differences … in the legal status of citizens , permanent residents , and foreigners . ''

The managing director for research and policy of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft appeared to celebrate the draconian measures employed by the Israeli government to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Then she argued that whatever discomforts they impose on Israeli citizens, they are not enough to compensate for the suffering Israel has inflicted on its Palestinian neighbors.
"Such a tiny taste. Missing a tablespoon of blood," Sarah Leah Whitson wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
Whitson was responding to a tweet from the Israeli-American journalist Mairav Zonszein, who wrote, "6 million Jewish Israelis will now get a taste of what around the same number of Palestinians living under occupation have experienced for over half a century." Zonszein was referring to the tactics now being embraced by the Israeli government to reduce transmission of the coronavirus, including antiterrorism measures like cell phone tracking of infected individuals.
Neither Whitson nor the Quincy Institute replied to a request for comment. The Israeli government took drastic action over the weekend, including the closings of restaurants, bars, and gyms. Whitson appeared to be expressing frustration that the measures would not offset the violence perpetrated by the Israeli government on the Palestinians.
"It is stunningly revolting," said Deborah Lipstadt, a scholar of modern Judaism and anti-Semitism at Emory University and the author of a modern history of anti-Semitism.
After facing a flood of criticism on Twitter—as well as inquiries from the Washington Free Beacon—Whitson deleted her tweet and posted a follow up arguing that her previous tweet "didn't come out right" and that she had deleted it "to prevent misinterpretation." She made no reference to the possibility that she had hurt or offended Jews.
"Erased tweet responding to one comparing experience of Israelis under lockdown to Palestinians under decades of lockdown," Whitson tweeted Sunday evening. "My point was that [Palestinian] experience includes violence. Should've emphasized I abhor all violence. Didn't come out right so now gone to prevent misinterpretation."
Erased tweet responding to one comparing experience of Israelis under lockdown to Palestinians under decades of lockdown. My point was that Pal experience includes violence. Should've emphasized I abhor all violence. Didn't come out right so now gone to prevent misinterpretation. — Sarah Leah Whitson (@sarahleah1) March 15, 2020
Pro-Israel advocates were not placated by her reversal, however. Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which combats anti-Semitism, called on the Quincy Institute to denounce her statement. "With all of the accusations of bias swirling around the Quincy Institute, will they back or bash her vicious anti-Semitism?"
The Quincy Institute, which is supported by Charles Koch and George Soros, launched late last year with the stated goal of promoting a more restrained and less interventionist U.S. foreign policy.
But the organization has been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism and has refused to answer questions about why some of its experts have attacked a so-called Jewish lobby and argued that American Jews control U.S. foreign policy.
Whitson herself has a lengthy history of anti-Israel activism. Most notably, she made headlines as a director at Human Rights Watch when she traveled to Saudi Arabia for meetings with government officials to raise money for the organization by promoting its criticism of Israel.
In February 2019, she accused Israel of interfering in British politics, a claim that has historically been used to paint Jews as part of a nefarious global plot.
In 2017, NGO Monitor, a group that monitors anti-Israel figures, criticized Whitson for promoting falsehoods against the Jewish state.
"Sarah Leah Whitson, director of HRW's Middle East and North Africa Division, attacks Israel with a stream of false claims and demonization," the group said at the time. "According to Whitson, 'Israel claims to treat Jerusalem as a unified city, but the reality is effectively one set of rules for Jews and another for Palestinians.'"
"The deliberate use of 'Jews' in place of 'Israelis' by Whitson and HRW is also offensive, if not anti-Semitic," NGO Monitor said. "Again, it allows HRW to accuse Israel of 'discrimination' and a 'two-tiered system,' instead of acknowledging obvious and reasonable differences ... in the legal status of citizens, permanent residents, and foreigners."


freebeacon--2020-03-16--The Nonpartisan Guide to Surviving Wuhan Bat Plague

In this time of international crisis caused by China , it is imperative for all human beings , especially the American ones , to set aside petty grievances and partisan affiliations .
A global pandemic—the Wuhan bat plague or Neocoronavirus—is upon us .
People are dying .
Now is not the time for frivolous debates about whether President Donald J. Trump deserves a second or third term in office or whether to postpone this year 's presidential election out of an abundance of caution .
Now is the time to unite for the common good by doing everything we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading .
That is why the Washington Free Beacon , in pursuit of its founding mission to promote transparency and accountability in the face of foreign threats , has decided to publish a strictly nonpartisan guide to surviving the Wuhan plague .
Enjoy !
WHAT TO DO • Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds .
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer ( at least 60 % alcohol ) if soap and water are not available .
• Stay home when you are sick , or exhibiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes , nose , and mouth with dirty hands .
• Limit your interactions with Democratic donors and other serial perverts .
• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze .
• Research the most efficient routes to nearby hospitals .
• Walls work .
Consider building one around your home or residence .
• Take your temperature often and monitor your symptoms .
• For updates on the outbreak , visit the Centers for Disease Control website .
• For expert medical advice and information on which dietary supplements have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Sebastian Gorka on Twitter @ SebGorka .
• Stock up on nonperishable items and other necessary household supplies , such as canned foods , toilet paper , and firearms/ammunition .
• Avoid unnecessary travel .
Instead of flying to New York City to purchase MAGA hats at Trump Tower , for example , consider donating to President Trump 's reelection campaign by visiting his website .
WHO IS AT RISK ?
• In Red China , where the pandemic started , the vast majority of confirmed cases ( 87 percent ) occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 79—the precise age of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) .
• The people most at risk of dying are , according to science , men in their late 70s and older .
This demographic includes former vice president Joe Biden , 77 , the presumptive Democratic nominee for president .
• Social isolation does not mean social media isolation .
In the interest of boosting public morale , patriotic Americans should devote at least an hour each day to owning the libs .
• What would Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drink beer , that 's what .
• In moments of crisis , public confidence in the president is crucial to the government 's ability to respond effectively .
All comments about the president 's handling of the Wuhan outbreak should be positive .
• The China virus may spread more slowly in warmer temperatures .
Until scientists can learn more , it is prudent for all Americans to contribute to the so-called `` global warming '' phenomenon by eating meat , rolling coal , and procreating .
For additional life-saving tips and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our daily newsletter .

In this time of international crisis caused by China, it is imperative for all human beings, especially the American ones, to set aside petty grievances and partisan affiliations. A global pandemic—the Wuhan bat plague or Neocoronavirus—is upon us.
People are dying. Now is not the time for frivolous debates about whether President Donald J. Trump deserves a second or third term in office or whether to postpone this year's presidential election out of an abundance of caution. Now is the time to unite for the common good by doing everything we can to prevent this deadly China virus from spreading.
That is why the Washington Free Beacon, in pursuit of its founding mission to promote transparency and accountability in the face of foreign threats, has decided to publish a strictly nonpartisan guide to surviving the Wuhan plague. Enjoy!
WHAT TO DO
Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available.
Stay home when you are sick, or exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
Avoid Chinese restaurants, mosques, and other public spaces.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with dirty hands.
Limit your interactions with Democratic donors and other serial perverts.
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
Research the most efficient routes to nearby hospitals.
Avoid public transportation and other socialist abominations.
Disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Call ahead before visiting a doctor with flu-like symptoms.
Walls work. Consider building one around your home or residence.
Take your temperature often and monitor your symptoms.
For updates on the outbreak, visit the Centers for Disease Control website.
For expert medical advice and information on which dietary supplements have been proven to cure the virus, follow Dr. Sebastian Gorka on Twitter @SebGorka.
Stock up on nonperishable items and other necessary household supplies, such as canned foods, toilet paper, and firearms/ammunition.
Avoid unnecessary travel. Instead of flying to New York City to purchase MAGA hats at Trump Tower, for example, consider donating to President Trump's reelection campaign by visiting his website.
WHO IS AT RISK?
In Red China, where the pandemic started, the vast majority of confirmed cases (87 percent) occurred in people between the ages of 30 and 79—the precise age of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.).
The people most at risk of dying are, according to science, men in their late 70s and older. This demographic includes former vice president Joe Biden, 77, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.
THINGS TO KNOW
Social isolation does not mean social media isolation. In the interest of boosting public morale, patriotic Americans should devote at least an hour each day to owning the libs.
What would Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh do in self-isolation? Drink beer, that's what.
In moments of crisis, public confidence in the president is crucial to the government's ability to respond effectively. All comments about the president's handling of the Wuhan outbreak should be positive.
The China virus may spread more slowly in warmer temperatures. Until scientists can learn more, it is prudent for all Americans to contribute to the so-called "global warming" phenomenon by eating meat, rolling coal, and procreating.
For additional life-saving tips and suggestions for Kavanaugh-themed drinking games, subscribe to our daily newsletter.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--At-Risk Elderly Duo Defy CDC Wuhan Guidelines, Debate in Public Over Which One Will Lose to Trump

Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R. , S.C. ) on Sunday announced he had tested negative for the Wuhan virus .
Meanwhile , two elderly Democrats exhibited flu-like symptoms while auditioning to become the candidate who will inevitably lose to President Donald J. Trump in November .
( Spoiler : It 's Joe Biden . )
Not surprisingly , the deadly Wuhan virus was discussed early and often during the Democratic primary debate in Washington , D.C .
However , very little of interest was said throughout .
Perhaps the most surprising development was Sen. Bernie Sanders 's ( I. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( when ) the former vice president wins the Democratic nomination—which was n't very surprising .
The debate was the first to feature only two candidates—former vice president Biden , 77 , and socialist insurgent Sanders , 78—both of whom are in the demographic most at risk of dying from the bat plague unleashed by China .
Neither appeared to be in perfect health .
Biden coughed conspicuously while attempting to answer the first question of the night and continued coughing intermittently throughout .
Sanders also coughed , which happens to be one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listed on the Centers for Disease Control website .
Both candidates experienced difficulties while attempting to discuss the coronavirus ( Wuhan ) pandemic in relation to previous outbreaks .
Biden touted his role in the Obama administration 's response to `` the N1H1 [ incomprehensible ] as well as what happened in Africa . ''
He meant the H1N1 virus and Ebola , which Sanders repeatedly cited instead of the coronavirus .
`` I 've got Ebola in my head right now ! ''
he said , after finally catching his mistake .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how they would respond to the current crisis .
Biden would `` bring together the leading experts of the world , '' who have never been wrong about anything , and would promote a `` major , major , major bailout package . ''
Sanders would enact Medicare for All .
How , exactly , was n't clear , and never has been .
Biden was ready with a rehearsed attack line .
`` You have a single-payer system in Italy , '' he said , citing the European country experiencing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It does n't work there .
[ The coronavirus ] has nothing to do with Medicare for All .
That would not solve the problem . ''
Sanders fired back , slamming Biden for taking campaign donations from the health insurance industry , to which Biden replied to his opponent—during a political debate—that he did n't `` want to get into a back and forth in terms of our politics . ''
The people you 'd expect to find this answer `` presidential '' did exactly that .
The weirdo dorks you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate by tweeting `` I miss Elizabeth Warren '' also lived up to expectations .
Biden , who throughout the primary has sought to portray himself as a moderate , continued his recent embrace of extreme left-wing policies .
There would be `` no more drilling '' for oil under his administration , the former vice president said .
Biden also insisted that `` no one '' would be deported during his first 100 days in office and promised to allow all illegal immigrants to remain in the United States until they commit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other hand , continued his lifelong embrace of extreme left-wing policies .
He managed to land a significant blow by attacking Biden 's previous support for cutting Social Security as part of a bipartisan deficit-reduction package .
Biden claimed this was n't true .
( It definitely was . )
Sanders urged viewers to `` go to the YouTube '' and learn the truth .
Biden did have a few good moments during the debate .
For example , he adopted the official neocon position on the Wuhan virus .
`` This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` This is like a war . ''
Indeed it is .
He also benefited from sharing the stage with only one other candidate , especially a socialist one .
Because the mainstream media hates Bernie Sanders almost as much as they hate President Trump , the debate moderators went so far as to admit that Fidel Castro really was `` a dictator who killed , tortured , and jailed millions , '' setting Biden up with a softball .
Biden and Sanders both played to the crowd—in theory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledging to select a woman as their running mate .
Because the elderly candidates , according to science , are in the demographic most likely to die after contracting the Wuhan virus , this was a particularly important development .
Well , are you ready ?

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) on Sunday announced he had tested negative for the Wuhan virus. Meanwhile, two elderly Democrats exhibited flu-like symptoms while auditioning to become the candidate who will inevitably lose to President Donald J. Trump in November. (Spoiler: It's Joe Biden.)
Not surprisingly, the deadly Wuhan virus was discussed early and often during the Democratic primary debate in Washington, D.C. However, very little of interest was said throughout. Perhaps the most surprising development was Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) pledge to support Biden if (when) the former vice president wins the Democratic nomination—which wasn't very surprising.
The debate was the first to feature only two candidates—former vice president Biden, 77, and socialist insurgent Sanders, 78—both of whom are in the demographic most at risk of dying from the bat plague unleashed by China. Neither appeared to be in perfect health.
Biden coughed conspicuously while attempting to answer the first question of the night and continued coughing intermittently throughout. Sanders also coughed, which happens to be one of the coronavirus (Wuhan) symptoms listed on the Centers for Disease Control website.
Both candidates experienced difficulties while attempting to discuss the coronavirus (Wuhan) pandemic in relation to previous outbreaks. Biden touted his role in the Obama administration's response to "the N1H1 [incomprehensible] as well as what happened in Africa." He meant the H1N1 virus and Ebola, which Sanders repeatedly cited instead of the coronavirus. "I've got Ebola in my head right now!" he said, after finally catching his mistake.
Biden and Sanders put forward different visions of how they would respond to the current crisis. Biden would "bring together the leading experts of the world," who have never been wrong about anything, and would promote a "major, major, major bailout package." Sanders would enact Medicare for All. How, exactly, wasn't clear, and never has been.
Biden was ready with a rehearsed attack line. "You have a single-payer system in Italy," he said, citing the European country experiencing the worst outbreak of the Wuhan virus. "It doesn't work there. [The coronavirus] has nothing to do with Medicare for All. That would not solve the problem."
Sanders fired back, slamming Biden for taking campaign donations from the health insurance industry, to which Biden replied to his opponent—during a political debate—that he didn't "want to get into a back and forth in terms of our politics." The people you'd expect to find this answer "presidential" did exactly that. The weirdo dorks you'd expect to react to a Biden-Sanders debate by tweeting "I miss Elizabeth Warren" also lived up to expectations.
Biden, who throughout the primary has sought to portray himself as a moderate, continued his recent embrace of extreme left-wing policies. There would be "no more drilling" for oil under his administration, the former vice president said. Biden also insisted that "no one" would be deported during his first 100 days in office and promised to allow all illegal immigrants to remain in the United States until they commit a felony.
Sanders, on the other hand, continued his lifelong embrace of extreme left-wing policies. He managed to land a significant blow by attacking Biden's previous support for cutting Social Security as part of a bipartisan deficit-reduction package. Biden claimed this wasn't true. (It definitely was.) Sanders urged viewers to "go to the YouTube" and learn the truth.
Biden did have a few good moments during the debate. For example, he adopted the official neocon position on the Wuhan virus. "This is like being attacked from abroad," he said. "This is like a war." Indeed it is. He also benefited from sharing the stage with only one other candidate, especially a socialist one. Because the mainstream media hates Bernie Sanders almost as much as they hate President Trump, the debate moderators went so far as to admit that Fidel Castro really was "a dictator who killed, tortured, and jailed millions," setting Biden up with a softball.
Biden and Sanders both played to the crowd—in theory, given the absence of an actual audience—by pledging to select a woman as their running mate. Because the elderly candidates, according to science, are in the demographic most likely to die after contracting the Wuhan virus, this was a particularly important development.
Well, are you ready?


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Bernie Lauds Chinese Dictatorship in Attempt to Salvage Defense of Castro

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) praised China 's authoritarian government for reducing poverty as part of his attempt during Sunday night 's debate to defend his previous support for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro .
Asked by debate moderator Ilia Calderón whether dictators should be judged by their human rights violation or `` alleged achievements , '' Sanders doubled down on his support for communist countries by saying China 's work to combat `` extreme poverty '' was undeniable .
`` I think you can make the same point about China , '' Sanders said .
`` China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will anybody , will any economist deny that extreme poverty in China today is much less than what it was 40 or 50 years ago ?
That 's a fact .
So I think we condemn authoritarianism … but to simply say that nothing ever done by any of those administrations had a positive impact on their people , would , I think , be incorrect . ''
The Vermont senator controversially defended Fidel Castro in February , arguing `` its unfair to simply say everything is bad '' about the Cuban dictator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Former vice president Joe Biden quickly jumped on Sanders 's comment , attacking him for his regular praise for `` authoritarian dictatorships . ''
`` The praising of the Sandinistas [ in Nicaragua ] , the praising of Cuba , the praising just now of China , '' Biden said .
`` China is an authoritarian dictatorship.
`` `` The idea that they have increased the wealth of people in that country , it 's marginal the change that has taken place , '' the former vice president said .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Muslims in prison camps in the west . ''
This is not the first time Sanders has praised China 's antipoverty program .
He said in August that China has done more to solve extreme poverty than `` any country in the history of civilization . ''
He has also previously implemented policy based on his admiration for communist regimes , pursuing stronger ties with the Soviet Union while he was mayor of Burlington , Vermont .
China routinely falsifies its economic figures , with one study by the liberal Brookings Institution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent smaller than it claims .

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) praised China's authoritarian government for reducing poverty as part of his attempt during Sunday night's debate to defend his previous support for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
Asked by debate moderator Ilia Calderón whether dictators should be judged by their human rights violations or "alleged achievements," Sanders doubled down on his support for communist countries by saying China's work to combat "extreme poverty" was undeniable.
"I think you can make the same point about China," Sanders said. "China is undoubtedly an authoritarian society. But will anybody, will any economist deny that extreme poverty in China today is much less than what it was 40 or 50 years ago? That's a fact. So I think we condemn authoritarianism ... but to simply say that nothing ever done by any of those administrations had a positive impact on their people, would, I think, be incorrect."
The Vermont senator controversially defended Fidel Castro in February, arguing "its unfair to simply say everything is bad" about the Cuban dictator since he had a successful literacy program.
Former vice president Joe Biden quickly jumped on Sanders's comment, attacking him for his regular praise for "authoritarian dictatorships."
"The praising of the Sandinistas [in Nicaragua], the praising of Cuba, the praising just now of China," Biden said. "China is an authoritarian dictatorship. "
"The idea that they have increased the wealth of people in that country, it's marginal the change that has taken place," the former vice president said. "They still have a million Uyghurs, a million Muslims in prison camps in the west."
This is not the first time Sanders has praised China's antipoverty program. He said in August that China has done more to solve extreme poverty than "any country in the history of civilization." He has also previously implemented policy based on his admiration for communist regimes, pursuing stronger ties with the Soviet Union while he was mayor of Burlington, Vermont.
China routinely falsifies its economic figures, with one study by the liberal Brookings Institution finding that the Chinese economy is 12 percent smaller than it claims.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Biden Promises ‘No More Drilling’ Under His Presidency

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Sunday he would prevent oil companies from drilling as part of his effort to combat climate change .
`` No more subsidies for the fossil fuel industry , '' he said at the CNN debate .
`` No more drilling on federal lands .
No more drilling , including offshore .
No ability for the oil industry to continue to drill , period .
Ends . ''
Biden has n't called for an all-out ban on oil drilling before , which would have a radical , negative effect on the U.S. energy industry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is dwarfed in spending by the $ 16.3 trillion proposal by his chief remaining primary opponent , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) .
Biden , confronted by Sanders for not taking dramatic enough steps to combat climate change , also said there would be no `` new fracking '' and `` not another coal plant will be built '' under his administration .
The Obama administration , where Biden served as vice president , supported fracking while unsuccessfully pursuing tighter regulation of the practice .
Fracking , also known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extraction method of releasing oil and gas from underground shale rocks .
The practice has helped transform the United States into the top oil and natural gas producer in the world and lower carbon emissions .

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Sunday he would prevent oil companies from drilling as part of his effort to combat climate change.
"No more subsidies for the fossil fuel industry," he said at the CNN debate. "No more drilling on federal lands. No more drilling, including offshore. No ability for the oil industry to continue to drill, period. Ends."
Biden hasn't called for an all-out ban on oil drilling before, which would have a radical, negative effect on the U.S. energy industry.
His $1.7 trillion climate change plan is dwarfed in spending by the $16.3 trillion proposal by his chief remaining primary opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
Biden, confronted by Sanders for not taking dramatic enough steps to combat climate change, also said there would be no "new fracking" and "not another coal plant will be built" under his administration.
The Obama administration, where Biden served as vice president, supported fracking while unsuccessfully pursuing tighter regulation of the practice.
Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing, is a drilling and extraction method of releasing oil and gas from underground shale rocks. The practice has helped transform the United States into the top oil and natural gas producer in the world and lower carbon emissions.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Biden Promises No Deportations in His First 100 Days

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden promised during a CNN debate on Sunday that he would stop all deportations during the first 100 days of his presidency .
`` In the first hundred days of my administration , no one—no one—will be deported at all , '' the former vice president said .
`` From that point on , the only deportations that will take place are commissions of felonies in the United States of America . ''
The answer was prompted by Univision anchor Ilia Calderón asking Biden about comments he had recently made on Obama-era immigration policy , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` big mistake . ''
When Biden was vice president , the United States routinely deported hundreds of thousands of people from the country each year .
Biden admitted it `` took much too long to get it right , '' but he argued the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) program and other choices amended the prior mistakes .
Biden also said if elected he would guarantee citizenship for 11 million currently undocumented immigrants .
`` So , to be clear , only felons get deported and everyone else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Period .
Yes , '' Biden said .
`` It 's about uniting families .
It 's about making sure that we can both be a nation of immigrants as well as a nation that is decent . ''
This is not the first time the former vice president has promised to end deportations for the first 100 days of his presidency .
During a CNN town hall in Nevada , Biden said he would only deport illegal immigrants who commit felonies within the United States .

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden promised during a CNN debate on Sunday that he would stop all deportations during the first 100 days of his presidency.
"In the first hundred days of my administration, no one—no one—will be deported at all," the former vice president said. "From that point on, the only deportations that will take place are commissions of felonies in the United States of America."
The answer was prompted by Univision anchor Ilia Calderón asking Biden about comments he had recently made on Obama-era immigration policy, in which he called the amount of deportations a "big mistake."
When Biden was vice president, the United States routinely deported hundreds of thousands of people from the country each year.
Biden admitted it "took much too long to get it right," but he argued the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and other choices amended the prior mistakes.
Biden also said if elected he would guarantee citizenship for 11 million currently undocumented immigrants.
"So, to be clear, only felons get deported and everyone else gets to stay," Calderón asked.
"Period. Yes," Biden said. "It's about uniting families. It's about making sure that we can both be a nation of immigrants as well as a nation that is decent."
This is not the first time the former vice president has promised to end deportations for the first 100 days of his presidency. During a CNN town hall in Nevada, Biden said he would only deport illegal immigrants who commit felonies within the United States.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Sanders and Biden Falsely Claim They Are Not Supported by Super PACs

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) and former vice president Joe Biden both falsely claimed during Sunday night 's Democratic presidential debate that they are not receiving help from super PACs and outside groups .
`` Why do n't you get rid of the super PAC that you have right now , which is running ugly , negative ads about me ? ''
Sanders asked Biden .
`` You getting rid of the nine super PACs you have ? ''
Biden asked .
`` I do n't have nine—I do n't have any super PACs , '' Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he is aided by outside money and funded by wealthy donors is a farce .
But both candidates are receiving help from super PACs and outside groups .
Unite the Country , a super PAC founded by Democratic operatives Matt Tompkins and Mark Riddle , has spent $ 10 million backing Biden .
Our Revolution , a nonprofit founded by Sanders that does not disclose its donors , is aiding the Vermont senator .
Additionally , the Vote Nurses Values super PAC has spent nearly $ 800,000 supporting Sanders , according to @ @ @ @ @ @

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and former vice president Joe Biden both falsely claimed during Sunday night's Democratic presidential debate that they are not receiving help from super PACs and outside groups.
"Why don't you get rid of the super PAC that you have right now, which is running ugly, negative ads about me?" Sanders asked Biden.
"You getting rid of the nine super PACs you have?" Biden asked.
"I don't have nine—I don't have any super PACs," Sanders said.
Biden said Sanders's implication that he is aided by outside money and funded by wealthy donors is a farce.
But both candidates are receiving help from super PACs and outside groups.
Biden was referring to nine progressive activist groups backing Sanders: Center for Popular Democracy Action, Democratic Socialists of America, Dream Defenders, Make the Road, Our Revolution, People's Action, Student Action, Progressive Democrats of America, and the Sunrise Movement.
These groups are not super PACs. They are 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 nonprofits. Like super PACs, they are not bound by contribution limits and can collect unlimited sums from donors. But unlike super PACs, those nonprofits can—and do—hide the sources of their funds, a practice known as "dark money."
Johnny Verhovek, a political reporter for ABC, pointed out to Biden communications director Kate Bedingfield that these groups are not super PACs.
"These people or groups are essentially dark money groups that don't release their donors," Bedingfield said. "So I think the point the Vice President was making is that these groups are out there, they are not held accountable in the same way in terms of donor disclosure. And they are supporting Senator Sanders."
One of those groups, Our Revolution, was founded by Sanders and former aides. It is now working to increase voter turnout for his campaign. Due to its work supporting his candidacy, the group was hit with an FEC complaint alleging it has violated campaign finance laws by accepting contributions that surpass the federal limit.
Sanders is also receiving help from super PACs. The Vote Nurses Values PAC, for example, has spent nearly $800,000 supporting his candidacy, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Biden is backed by Unite the Country, a super PAC founded by Democratic operatives Matt Tompkins and Mark Riddle, which has spent $10 million backing his candidacy. The pair also founded Future Majority, a dark money group that will spend $60 million primarily in the Midwest region for the 2020 elections.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Biden Misleadingly Claims He Opposed Hyde Amendment

Former vice president Joe Biden misleadingly claimed he changed his position on the Hyde Amendment `` a while ago '' even though he supported the amendment until after he began his 2020 presidential run .
`` I did that a while ago , '' Biden said Sunday about switching his position .
At CNN 's Democratic primary debate , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) criticized Biden for previously supporting the Hyde Amendment .
After repeatedly voting for the amendment over the course of his decades-long career in the Senate , last June Biden said he opposed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the start of his presidential campaign .
He blamed recent pro-life legislation passed in several states , saying that `` times have changed '' on the issue .
The change comes one day after Biden 's campaign said the former vice president still supported the amendment .
During Sunday 's debate , Biden said he opposed the amendment because public funding for all health care must include abortion .
He added that he would codify abortion rights into law as president .
`` I would send immediately to the desk of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if I 'm elected president , a codification of Roe v. Wade amended by Casey , '' Biden said , referring to two landmark Supreme Court abortion cases .
`` Because I think it 's a woman 's right to choose .
I think it 's a woman 's opportunity to be able to make that decision . ''
The Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of taxpayer money to fund abortions .
The initial version of the amendment passed in 1976 .

Changed his position last June after start of presidential campaign
Former vice president Joe Biden misleadingly claimed he changed his position on the Hyde Amendment "a while ago" even though he supported the amendment until after he began his 2020 presidential run.
"I did that a while ago," Biden said Sunday about switching his position. At CNN's Democratic primary debate, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) criticized Biden for previously supporting the Hyde Amendment.
After repeatedly voting for the amendment over the course of his decades-long career in the Senate, last June Biden said he opposed the amendment—after he faced pressure to do so at the start of his presidential campaign. He blamed recent pro-life legislation passed in several states, saying that "times have changed" on the issue.
The change comes one day after Biden's campaign said the former vice president still supported the amendment.
During Sunday's debate, Biden said he opposed the amendment because public funding for all health care must include abortion. He added that he would codify abortion rights into law as president.
"I would send immediately to the desk of the United States Congress when I'm elected, if I'm elected president, a codification of Roe v. Wade amended by Casey," Biden said, referring to two landmark Supreme Court abortion cases. "Because I think it's a woman's right to choose. I think it's a woman's opportunity to be able to make that decision."
The Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of taxpayer money to fund abortions. The initial version of the amendment passed in 1976.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Florida Dem Andrew Gillum Announces He’s Entering Rehab for Alcoholism

CNN political commentator and former Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum announced Sunday he would enter rehab for alcohol abuse , following his involvement in a suspected crystal meth incident last week .
`` After conversation with my family and deep reflection , I have made the decision to seek help , guidance and enter a rehabilitation facility at this time , '' Gillum said in a statement .
`` This has been a wake-up call for me . ''
Gillum , who added he would exit public life for the immediate future , has served as a primetime commentator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to IQ Media , he most recently appeared on the network on March 4 to discuss the Super Tuesday primary results .
He was mayor of Tallahassee from 2o14 to 2018 .
According to a police report , Gillum vomited in a bathroom and was too inebriated to communicate with authorities , who were called after a suspected drug overdose by 30-year-old Travis Dyson on Friday in a Miami Beach hotel room .
Another man in the room , Aldo Mejias , called the paramedics after Dyson became unresponsive , and he later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were `` under the influence of an unknown substance . ''
Gillum confirmed on Friday he was in the room , but he denied using meth and said he 'd had `` too much to drink '' after celebrating a wedding .
Dyson , who recovered from the suspected overdose , told the Miami New Times he had n't heard Gillum mention celebrating a wedding that night .
Gillum said in his statement Sunday that he fell into a depression after his narrow loss in the 2018 Florida governor 's race , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said his father also suffered from alcoholism .
`` I want to apologize to my family , friends and the people of Florida who have supported me and put their faith in me over the years , '' Gillum said .

CNN political commentator and former Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum announced Sunday he would enter rehab for alcohol abuse, following his involvement in a suspected crystal meth incident last week.
"After conversation with my family and deep reflection, I have made the decision to seek help, guidance and enter a rehabilitation facility at this time," Gillum said in a statement. "This has been a wake-up call for me."
Gillum, who added he would exit public life for the immediate future, has served as a primetime commentator for CNN since January 2019. According to IQ Media, he most recently appeared on the network on March 4 to discuss the Super Tuesday primary results. He was mayor of Tallahassee from 2014 to 2018.
According to a police report, Gillum vomited in a bathroom and was too inebriated to communicate with authorities, who were called after a suspected drug overdose by 30-year-old Travis Dyson on Friday in a Miami Beach hotel room.
Another man in the room, Aldo Mejias, called the paramedics after Dyson became unresponsive, and he later told police he believed Gillum and Dyson were "under the influence of an unknown substance." Gillum confirmed on Friday he was in the room, but he denied using meth and said he'd had "too much to drink" after celebrating a wedding.
Dyson, who recovered from the suspected overdose, told the Miami New Times he hadn't heard Gillum mention celebrating a wedding that night.
Gillum said in his statement Sunday that he fell into a depression after his narrow loss in the 2018 Florida governor's race, which led him to abuse alcohol. He said his father also suffered from alcoholism.
"I want to apologize to my family, friends and the people of Florida who have supported me and put their faith in me over the years," Gillum said.


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Sanders Repeats Debunked Claim on Fed Liquidity

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) on Sunday doubled down on the misleading claim that the Federal Reserve 's emergency injection of money into financial markets earlier in the week was unfair to average workers .
`` What I worry about is not only how we respond aggressively to the virus , but also how we respond aggressively to the economic fallout of a global recession , '' Sanders said .
`` What happens to the millions of workers who may end up losing their jobs ?
So what I think we 've got to do right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fed can provide a trillion and a half for liquidity for the banks , what we 've got to say to every worker in the America is , ‘ Do n't panic , you 'll be able to pay your mortgage , you 're going to get a check , you 're going to be made whole . '
'' Sanders 's statements , along with those made by both him and allies earlier in the week , misleadingly suggest that the Federal Reserve 's transfer of money earlier in the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income or mortgage payment .
In reality , the Fed 's actions are more akin to a loan , and Sanders 's suggestion that they suggest unequal treatment for regular Americans has been panned by even those on the left .
On Thursday , the Federal Reserve announced that it would spend $ 1.5 trillion in the market for `` repurchase agreements , '' a.k.a .
the `` repo '' market .
In this market , one firm sells a high-quality security , e.g.
, a Treasury bond , to another firm for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the security for the cash value plus interest .
The net effect is a short-term loan .
The Federal Reserve 's injection of $ 1.5 trillion acts as fast cash for financial institutions , keeping liquidity flowing through the financial system under times of duress .
Critically , repo agreements are not like a gift , but a loan .
Analogous support for workers would involve temporarily loaning them the value of their wages or mortgage payments , with the expectation that they would pay back the full value plus interest .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , nor earlier in the week .
On Friday , Sanders responded to news of the liquidity injection by taking to Twitter , writing , `` When we say it 's time to provide health care to all our people , we 're told we ca n't afford it .
But if the stock market is in trouble , no problem !
The government can just hand out $ 1.5 trillion to calm bankers on Wall Street . ''
Sanders ally and endorser Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FYI , the amount that the Fed just injected almost covers all student loan debt in the U.S. '' Even left-leaning outlets called these comments inaccurate .
Slate labeled them `` misleading , '' while Vox settled for the more tepid `` not a very good comparison to make . ''

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) on Sunday doubled down on the misleading claim that the Federal Reserve's emergency injection of money into financial markets earlier in the week was unfair to average workers.
"What I worry about is not only how we respond aggressively to the virus, but also how we respond aggressively to the economic fallout of a global recession," Sanders said. "What happens to the millions of workers who may end up losing their jobs? So what I think we've got to do right now, is if Trump can provide, the Fed can provide a trillion and a half for liquidity for the banks, what we've got to say to every worker in the America is, 'Don't panic, you'll be able to pay your mortgage, you're going to get a check, you're going to be made whole.'"
Sanders's statements, along with those made by both him and allies earlier in the week, misleadingly suggest that the Federal Reserve's transfer of money earlier in the week was equivalent to a federal guarantee of income or mortgage payment. In reality, the Fed's actions are more akin to a loan, and Sanders's suggestion that they suggest unequal treatment for regular Americans has been panned by even those on the left.
On Thursday, the Federal Reserve announced that it would spend $1.5 trillion in the market for "repurchase agreements," a.k.a. the "repo" market. In this market, one firm sells a high-quality security, e.g., a Treasury bond, to another firm for cash and agrees to "repurchase" the security for the cash value plus interest. The net effect is a short-term loan. The Federal Reserve's injection of $1.5 trillion acts as fast cash for financial institutions, keeping liquidity flowing through the financial system under times of duress.
Critically, repo agreements are not like a gift, but a loan. Analogous support for workers would involve temporarily loaning them the value of their wages or mortgage payments, with the expectation that they would pay back the full value plus interest.
These facts did not forestall Sanders's comments Sunday, nor earlier in the week. On Friday, Sanders responded to news of the liquidity injection by taking to Twitter, writing, "When we say it's time to provide health care to all our people, we're told we can't afford it. But if the stock market is in trouble, no problem! The government can just hand out $1.5 trillion to calm bankers on Wall Street."
Sanders ally and endorser Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) made a similar argument, noting that "FYI, the amount that the Fed just injected almost covers all student loan debt in the U.S."
Even left-leaning outlets called these comments inaccurate. Slate labeled them "misleading," while Vox settled for the more tepid "not a very good comparison to make."


freebeacon--2020-03-16--Biden Gets Virus Name Wrong at Debate

Biden Gets Virus Name Wrong at Debate

Former vice president Joe Biden misstated the name of the H1N1 `` swine flu '' virus during Sunday night 's @ @ @ @ @ `` N1H1 . ''
`` We have been through this before with the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ We 've been through this before with dealing with the viruses , the N1H1 virus @ @ @ @ @ in Africa . ''
Biden was referring to the H1N1 virus , known as `` @ @ @ @ @ declared a pandemic between June 2009 and August 2010 .
He also referred to the @ @ @ @ @ started in February 2014 .
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic due @ @ @ @ @ the world and extreme impact on different civil societies .

Former vice president Joe Biden misstated the name of the H1N1 "swine flu" virus during Sunday night's Democratic debate, calling it "N1H1."
"We have been through this before with the coronavirus," Biden said. "We've been through this before with dealing with the viruses, the N1H1 virus as well as what happened in Africa."
Biden was referring to the H1N1 virus, known as "swine flu" that was declared a pandemic between June 2009 and August 2010. He also referred to the Ebola outbreak in Africa that started in February 2014.
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic due to its rapid spread around the world and extreme impact on different civil societies.