freebeacon--2020-08-21--German Embrace of Israel Boycotts Generates Calls for Increased U.S. Diplomatic Pressure

Growing support for Israel boycotts among leftist German political parties is generating tension in the diplomatic relationship with the United States , according to a new report that urges American lawmakers to hold their German counterparts accountable for embracing a movement that many view as anti-Semitic .
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies , a nonpartisan think tank with close ties to the Trump administration , is calling on U.S. lawmakers to increase pressure on Germany to cut ties with the Boycott , Divestment , and Sanctions movement ( BDS ) , a global coalition that wages economic warfare on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a first-of-its-kind exploration of why the BDS movement rose in Germany and is attracting support among more radical voices in the country 's parliament .
Support for the BDS movement in Germany and other European nations comes amid a global surge in anti-Semitism .
The report , titled , `` Boykott : Germany 's Battle Against the Delegitimization of Israel , '' has been provided to senior Trump administration officials at the State Department who are tasked with combating the BDS movement in Europe .
These officials vowed to increase pressure on European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal authorities to defend businesses targeted by the movement .
Germany is a special case study when it comes to BDS due to its complicated relationship with the Holocaust and efforts to make amends for the atrocities committed during World War II .
While Berlin enjoys relatively close diplomatic ties with Israel , support for the BDS movement has risen in the country 's left-of-center political parties .
As with other European supporters of the BDS movement , those who back boycotts view them as a means to pressure Israel into making political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Germany-based reporter and the author of FDD 's new report , concluded that Congress can play a critical role in pressuring Germany to back off of the BDS movement .
Congress , the report emphasizes , should pass resolutions in the House and Senate singling out Germany 's BDS movement .
Lawmakers should also require the executive branch to submit annual reports to `` Congress on the extent to which the German government has taken steps not just to oppose BDS in words but to counter it in action , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls on Germany to toughen its stance on Palestinian terrorist groups and end its `` permissiveness toward violent , pro-BDS , anti-Semitic organizations that the United States and European Union have designated for terrorism . ''
The BDS movement `` has managed to build an infrastructure in Germany that resembles its base in other countries '' and has chapters established in all of Germany 's major cities , including Berlin , according to the report .
Most support for the boycott movement comes from Germany 's far left , which has pushed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or governing parliament .
In just the past year , German BDS backers have pushed boycotts of a Berlin popular culture festival that partnered with the Israeli embassy .
Other efforts have included the protest of a French insurance company that invests in Israel 's defense sector , the boycott of sports apparel company Puma due to its sponsorship of Israeli soccer teams , and a boycott of Hewlett Packard for selling technology to Israel 's military .
David Peyman , the State Department 's newly installed assistant special envoy for Eurasian affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical for the United States to combat BDS and pressure allies to take a tougher stance on the movement .
`` BDS is deeply connected to attempts to delegitimize , demonize , and isolate Israel—all forms of anti-Semitism , '' Peyman said .
`` Secretary [ of State Mike ] Pompeo and special envoy [ to combat anti-Semitism Elan ] Carr emphatically opposed the discriminatory BDS movement .
The United States strongly opposes boycott campaigns targeting the state of Israel , and regularly engages with governments and other entities to oppose such activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adopted by the German parliament that identifies the BDS movement as anti-Semitic in nature .
That resolution , however , was not legally binding and had few tangible effects , according to FDD 's report .
Peyman vowed to `` fight BDS with all tools , including by promoting increased economic and strategic cooperation with Israel . ''
He also said the United States will `` closely watch companies that are targeted by the BDS movement and use all available legal and policy tools to counter such effort . ''
In addition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report urges Germany to prohibit anti-Semitic BDS groups from using all Bundestag facilities .
It also recommends that Berlin enact laws to prevent discrimination against Israelis and push its finance sector to limit the services it provides to pro-BDS and anti-Semitic groups .

Growing support for Israel boycotts among leftist German political parties is generating tension in the diplomatic relationship with the United States, according to a new report that urges American lawmakers to hold their German counterparts accountable for embracing a movement that many view as anti-Semitic.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a nonpartisan think tank with close ties to the Trump administration, is calling on U.S. lawmakers to increase pressure on Germany to cut ties with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), a global coalition that wages economic warfare on the Jewish state. The report is a first-of-its-kind exploration of why the BDS movement rose in Germany and is attracting support among more radical voices in the country's parliament. Support for the BDS movement in Germany and other European nations comes amid a global surge in anti-Semitism.
The report, titled, "Boykott: Germany's Battle Against the Delegitimization of Israel," has been provided to senior Trump administration officials at the State Department who are tasked with combating the BDS movement in Europe. These officials vowed to increase pressure on European backers of the BDS movement and use legal authorities to defend businesses targeted by the movement.
Germany is a special case study when it comes to BDS due to its complicated relationship with the Holocaust and efforts to make amends for the atrocities committed during World War II. While Berlin enjoys relatively close diplomatic ties with Israel, support for the BDS movement has risen in the country's left-of-center political parties. As with other European supporters of the BDS movement, those who back boycotts view them as a means to pressure Israel into making political concessions to the Palestinians.
Benjamin Weinthal, a Germany-based reporter and the author of FDD's new report, concluded that Congress can play a critical role in pressuring Germany to back off of the BDS movement. Congress, the report emphasizes, should pass resolutions in the House and Senate singling out Germany's BDS movement. Lawmakers should also require the executive branch to submit annual reports to "Congress on the extent to which the German government has taken steps not just to oppose BDS in words but to counter it in action," according to FDD.
The report also calls on Germany to toughen its stance on Palestinian terrorist groups and end its "permissiveness toward violent, pro-BDS, anti-Semitic organizations that the United States and European Union have designated for terrorism."
The BDS movement "has managed to build an infrastructure in Germany that resembles its base in other countries" and has chapters established in all of Germany's major cities, including Berlin, according to the report. Most support for the boycott movement comes from Germany's far left, which has pushed the issue in the country's Bundestag, or governing parliament.
In just the past year, German BDS backers have pushed boycotts of a Berlin popular culture festival that partnered with the Israeli embassy. Other efforts have included the protest of a French insurance company that invests in Israel's defense sector, the boycott of sports apparel company Puma due to its sponsorship of Israeli soccer teams, and a boycott of Hewlett Packard for selling technology to Israel's military.
David Peyman, the State Department's newly installed assistant special envoy for Eurasian affairs and strategic projects, said it is critical for the United States to combat BDS and pressure allies to take a tougher stance on the movement.
"BDS is deeply connected to attempts to delegitimize, demonize, and isolate Israel—all forms of anti-Semitism," Peyman said. "Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo and special envoy [to combat anti-Semitism Elan] Carr emphatically opposed the discriminatory BDS movement. The United States strongly opposes boycott campaigns targeting the state of Israel, and regularly engages with governments and other entities to oppose such activities."
Peyman hailed a 2019 resolution adopted by the German parliament that identifies the BDS movement as anti-Semitic in nature. That resolution, however, was not legally binding and had few tangible effects, according to FDD's report.
Peyman vowed to "fight BDS with all tools, including by promoting increased economic and strategic cooperation with Israel." He also said the United States will "closely watch companies that are targeted by the BDS movement and use all available legal and policy tools to counter such effort."
In addition to prescribing actions that Congress can take, the report urges Germany to prohibit anti-Semitic BDS groups from using all Bundestag facilities. It also recommends that Berlin enact laws to prevent discrimination against Israelis and push its finance sector to limit the services it provides to pro-BDS and anti-Semitic groups.


freebeacon--2020-08-21--Chicago Mayor Defends Personal Police Protection

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot ( D. ) defended the personal police force deployed on her residential street , saying she has a right to protect her property and her family .
`` We are living in very different times and I ’ ve seen the threats that have come in , and I have an obligation to keep my home , my wife , my 12-year-old , and my neighbors safe , '' Lightfoot said .
`` I think that residents of the city , understanding the nature of the threats that we are receiving on a daily basis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure that my home is secure . ''
Chicago police banned protests outside of the mayor ’ s home in Logan Square , citing a law that prohibits protesting in residential neighborhoods , and threatened to arrest those who refuse to leave .
Lightfoot did not specify the types of threats she and her family have received .
The mayor began taking a harder stance on demonstrations following a looting spree that cost Chicago-area businesses millions of dollars in stolen merchandise—which Chicago ’ s Second Ward alderman Brian Hopkins ( D. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership and preparation .
`` There is no way to defend this , there is no way to excuse this , '' Hopkins told WGN Chicago on August 10 .
`` This is a complete and utter failure of leadership .
You can ’ t blame the police officers on the street , you can ’ t blame the men and women wearing the blue shirts .
They do what they ’ re told to do… .
This is a problem with leadership and a problem with the command , and this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The mayor needs to address the city . ''
Meanwhile , Lightfoot is leading a group of more than 1,400 mayors from across the country to create a plan for police reform .
The plan includes a `` co-responders '' model , in which non-police officials will be dispatched to respond to some emergency calls—especially in minority neighborhoods .
Anti-police and racial justice protests—which in many major cities including Chicago have turned violent—began in late May following the police-involved deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor .

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot (D.) defended the personal police force deployed on her residential street, saying she has a right to protect her property and her family.
"We are living in very different times and I’ve seen the threats that have come in, and I have an obligation to keep my home, my wife, my 12-year-old, and my neighbors safe," Lightfoot said. "I think that residents of the city, understanding the nature of the threats that we are receiving on a daily basis, understand that I have a right to make sure that my home is secure."
Chicago police banned protests outside the mayor’s home in Logan Square, citing a law that prohibits protesting in residential neighborhoods, and threatened to arrest those who refuse to leave. Lightfoot did not specify the types of threats she and her family have received.
The mayor began taking a harder stance on demonstrations following a looting spree that cost Chicago-area businesses millions of dollars in stolen merchandise—which Chicago’s Second Ward alderman Brian Hopkins (D.) blamed on Lightfoot’s lack of leadership and preparation.
"There is no way to defend this, there is no way to excuse this," Hopkins told WGN Chicago on August 10. "This is a complete and utter failure of leadership. You can’t blame the police officers on the street, you can’t blame the men and women wearing the blue shirts. They do what they’re told to do.... This is a problem with leadership and a problem with the command, and this is just a complete failure to address this. The mayor needs to address the city."
Meanwhile, Lightfoot is leading a group of more than 1,400 mayors from across the country to create a plan for police reform. The plan includes a "co-responders" model, in which non-police officials will be dispatched to respond to some emergency calls—especially in minority neighborhoods.
Anti-police and racial justice protests—which in many major cities including Chicago have turned violent—began in late May following the police-involved deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.


freebeacon--2020-08-21--National Security Adviser O’Brien Slams Kerry’s Praise of Iran Deal

`` John Kerry and the JCPOA gave Iran $ 150 billion in sanctions relief .
That was the Obama-Biden administration , '' O'Brien told Fox News host Martha MacCallum .
`` Iran spent that money not on its own people , not to build a middle class in Iran , '' O'Brien said .
`` They spent it on terrorist activities in Lebanon , and Syria , and Iraq , in Yemen , so the JCPOA was no great deal .
In fact , it was the worst diplomatic deal since the Munich appeasement in 1938 . ''
O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech made by Kerry at the Democratic National Convention earlier this week , which pushed false narratives about the Obama administration ’ s record in the Middle East .
Kerry ’ s speech congratulated the Obama administration for taking the fight to ISIS and sported the Iran deal , officially the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , as a success story .
`` John Kerry always has and always will live inside an alternate universe that exists only in his mind , '' Richard Goldberg , a former White House National Security Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense of Democracies think tank , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` We had a name for their ultimate embrace of murderous dictators and abandonment of our closest allies : the Iran nuclear deal .
The contrast today is amazing : Kerry 's legacy was a short-term extortion payoff to a state sponsor of terrorism ; Trump 's legacy is brokering Middle East peace , '' he added .
The 1938 Munich Agreement is a much-cited example of the harms of appeasing dictators in foreign policy .
The agreement represented an attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by allowing Adolf Hitler to annex territory in Czechoslovakia .
The agreement `` has haunted western policymakers and intellectuals ever since , '' author Robert Kaplan wrote in 2007 .
`` The fear of not stopping a tyrant in his tracks—before it is too late—has been particularly acute in America , weighed down as it is by the responsibilities of a great power . ''
Efforts to extend the arms embargo at the United Nations failed last week , prompting Washington to authorize tough snapback sanctions on Iran .
In recent months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alike as it builds advanced missile systems , coordinates operations with the Taliban , and threatens freedom of navigation at sea .

In a rebuke to former secretary of state John Kerry, national security adviser Robert O’Brien on Thursday slammed the Iran deal as the worst agreement since the 1938 Munich Agreement with Nazi Germany.
"John Kerry and the JCPOA gave Iran $150 billion in sanctions relief. That was the Obama-Biden administration," O'Brien told Fox News host Martha MacCallum.
"Iran spent that money not on its own people, not to build a middle class in Iran," O'Brien said. "They spent it on terrorist activities in Lebanon, and Syria, and Iraq, in Yemen, so the JCPOA was no great deal. In fact, it was the worst diplomatic deal since the Munich appeasement in 1938."
O’Brien's comments were aimed at a speech made by Kerry at the Democratic National Convention earlier this week, which pushed false narratives about the Obama administration’s record in the Middle East. Kerry’s speech congratulated the Obama administration for taking the fight to ISIS and sported the Iran deal, officially the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as a success story.
"John Kerry always has and always will live inside an alternate universe that exists only in his mind," Richard Goldberg, a former White House National Security Council member who now advises the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, told the Washington Free Beacon.
"We had a name for their ultimate embrace of murderous dictators and abandonment of our closest allies: the Iran nuclear deal. The contrast today is amazing: Kerry's legacy was a short-term extortion payoff to a state sponsor of terrorism; Trump's legacy is brokering Middle East peace," he added.
The 1938 Munich Agreement is a much-cited example of the harms of appeasing dictators in foreign policy. The agreement represented an attempt by European powers to placate Nazi Germany by allowing Adolf Hitler to annex territory in Czechoslovakia.
The agreement "has haunted western policymakers and intellectuals ever since," author Robert Kaplan wrote in 2007. "The fear of not stopping a tyrant in his tracks—before it is too late—has been particularly acute in America, weighed down as it is by the responsibilities of a great power."
Efforts to extend the arms embargo at the United Nations failed last week, prompting Washington to authorize tough snapback sanctions on Iran. In recent months, Tehran has violated international law and treaty alike as it builds advanced missile systems, coordinates operations with the Taliban, and threatens freedom of navigation at sea.


freebeacon--2020-08-21--Russian Doctors Deny Poisoned Putin Critic Transfer to German Hospital

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny , who is suspected to have been poisoned Thursday , has been denied permission to transfer to a German hospital by his doctors in Russia , The New York Times reported Friday .
Citing instability in Navalny ’ s condition , doctors refused to allow Navalny and his staff to board a flight to Germany to receive treatment from leading toxicologists .
Some of Navalny ’ s supporters wondered if the underlying motivation for the decision was fear from Russian authorities that German doctors might detect and reveal the substance that poisoned Navalny .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` an attempt on his life being carried out right now by doctors and the deceitful authorities that have authorized it , '' said Kira Yarmysh , Navalny ’ s spokeswoman .
State-run media are now suggesting Navalny may have taken something himself that caused him to become sick , despite a consistent record of poisonings that have struck Putin critics in years past .
Some believe this episode marks a deliberate attempt to silence one of Putin ’ s most vociferous critics during a period of significant domestic turmoil and have demanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo needs to speak up quickly .
He should demand an objective investigation and Navalny 's access to immediate medical treatment abroad , '' writes foreign policy commentator Tom Rogan .
`` Alongside congressional leaders , Pompeo should make clear that if Navalny dies , new sanctions will ensure that the Russian energy economy dies along with him . ''

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is suspected to have been poisoned Thursday, has been denied permission to transfer to a German hospital by his doctors in Russia, The New York Times reported Friday.
Citing instability in Navalny’s condition, doctors refused to allow Navalny and his staff to board a flight to Germany to receive treatment from leading toxicologists. Some of Navalny’s supporters wondered if the underlying motivation for the decision was fear from Russian authorities that German doctors might detect and reveal the substance that poisoned Navalny.
What is occurring in Russia right now is "an attempt on his life being carried out right now by doctors and the deceitful authorities that have authorized it," said Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokeswoman.
State-run media are now suggesting Navalny may have taken something himself that caused him to become sick, despite a consistent record of poisonings that have struck Putin critics in years past.
Some believe this episode marks a deliberate attempt to silence one of Putin’s most vociferous critics during a period of significant domestic turmoil and have demanded a closer look from Washington.
"Secretary of State Mike Pompeo needs to speak up quickly. He should demand an objective investigation and Navalny's access to immediate medical treatment abroad," writes foreign policy commentator Tom Rogan. "Alongside congressional leaders, Pompeo should make clear that if Navalny dies, new sanctions will ensure that the Russian energy economy dies along with him."


freebeacon--2020-08-21--Live TV: Dem Senator Melts Down In Expletive-Laden Rant

Democratic senator Tom Carper ( Del . )
unleashed a stream of expletives at a staffer in a live congressional @ @ @ @ @ national news networks .
Facing apparent technical difficulties during a virtual hearing on the U.S @ @ @ @ @ directed a frustration-laden `` fuck '' several times at a staffer situated off screen .
@ @ @ @ @ issues for decades : He struck his first wife in the face , leaving her @ @ @ @ @ Despite his domestic abuse admission , Carper remains in good standing in the Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ this week 's convention , casting the final nominating vote for Joe Biden .

Democratic senator Tom Carper (Del.) unleashed a stream of expletives at a staffer in a live congressional hearing Friday that aired on national news networks.
Facing apparent technical difficulties during a virtual hearing on the U.S. Postal Service, Carper directed a frustration-laden "fuck" several times at a staffer situated off screen.
Carper has struggled with anger-management issues for decades: He struck his first wife in the face, leaving her with a black eye.
Despite his domestic abuse admission, Carper remains in good standing in the Democratic Party. Carper was featured in this week's convention, casting the final nominating vote for Joe Biden.


freebeacon--2020-08-22--‘My Values Are To The Left’: Independent Alaska Senate Candidate Tells DNC He’s With Them

Senate challenger Al Gross told Democratic donors behind closed doors that his run as an `` independent Alaskan '' is a front .
`` I will caucus with the Democrats .
I 've been an independent since I was 18 , but if you look at my platform , you 'll see that most of my values are to the left , '' Gross said Wednesday .
`` I 've met with leadership in the Senate and they are very understanding that my best pathway to win is to remain as an independent . ''
The concession—which Gross made while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Committee virtual happy hour—is at odds with his campaign 's positioning .
In a July ad , Gross said he was `` running for U.S. Senate as an independent Alaskan , '' adding that `` out here , if you ca n't think for yourself , you wo n't survive . ''
Gross 's admission may harm his ability to distance himself from national Democrats in historically red Alaska , which President Donald Trump won by nearly 15 points in 2016 .
According to University of Alaska Fairbanks political scientist Jerry McBeath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electorate identify as `` nonpartisan and undeclared , '' meaning that `` if you 're aiming for the mass of Alaska voters , you would talk about yourself as an independent candidate . ''
`` There are all these [ positions ] that the national Democratic Party has that are unpopular in Alaska , such as the Second Amendment—gun control and gun rights and the like—and of course the abortion issue , '' McBeath told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` It 's an uphill battle for Gross in this election . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dan Sullivan ( R. ) in November .
The Cook Political Report rates the race `` likely Republican . ''
Senate editor Jessica Taylor told the Free Beacon that while Alaska has a `` history of electing independent-minded senators , '' Gross could struggle to shake his ties to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) .
`` Even though he 's running as an independent , he does have the backing of national Democrats , and that 's something that Sullivan and Republicans will really hammer home , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of endorsements from national Democrats and liberal groups , including failed presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg , abortion giant Planned Parenthood Action Fund , and the Schumer-led Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee .
Despite the DSCC 's backing—the group funneled nearly $ 50,000 to the Gross campaign in June—Gross is registered with the Federal Election Commission as an independent .
Gross has also benefited heavily from big-spending outside groups .
The Lincoln Project , a super PAC founded by failed Republican strategists whose `` singular mission '' is to `` defeat Donald Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million on ads backing Gross .
Gross ran in the state 's Democratic primary as a `` nonpartisan '' candidate , receiving 74 percent of the vote .
Sullivan , meanwhile , did not face a primary challenge .
The Alaska Republican holds a strong financial advantage , having raised nearly $ 7.9 million to Gross 's $ 5.2 million as of July 29 .
Sullivan holds $ 5.3 million on hand , compared with Gross 's $ 2.9 million .
The Gross campaign did not respond to a request for comment .

Senate challenger Al Gross told Democratic donors behind closed doors that his run as an "independent Alaskan" is a front.
"I will caucus with the Democrats. I've been an independent since I was 18, but if you look at my platform, you'll see that most of my values are to the left," Gross said Wednesday. "I've met with leadership in the Senate and they are very understanding that my best pathway to win is to remain as an independent."
The concession—which Gross made while appealing to national donors during a Democratic National Committee virtual happy hour—is at odds with his campaign's positioning. In a July ad, Gross said he was "running for U.S. Senate as an independent Alaskan," adding that "out here, if you can't think for yourself, you won't survive."
Gross's admission may harm his ability to distance himself from national Democrats in historically red Alaska, which President Donald Trump won by nearly 15 points in 2016. According to University of Alaska Fairbanks political scientist Jerry McBeath, 58 percent of the state's electorate identify as "nonpartisan and undeclared," meaning that "if you're aiming for the mass of Alaska voters, you would talk about yourself as an independent candidate."
"There are all these [positions] that the national Democratic Party has that are unpopular in Alaska, such as the Second Amendment—gun control and gun rights and the like—and of course the abortion issue," McBeath told the Washington Free Beacon. "It's an uphill battle for Gross in this election."
Gross will face off against incumbent senator Dan Sullivan (R.) in November. The Cook Political Report rates the race "likely Republican." Senate editor Jessica Taylor told the Free Beacon that while Alaska has a "history of electing independent-minded senators," Gross could struggle to shake his ties to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.).
"Even though he's running as an independent, he does have the backing of national Democrats, and that's something that Sullivan and Republicans will really hammer home," Taylor said.
Gross has received a number of endorsements from national Democrats and liberal groups, including failed presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, abortion giant Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and the Schumer-led Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Despite the DSCC's backing—the group funneled nearly $50,000 to the Gross campaign in June—Gross is registered with the Federal Election Commission as an independent.
Gross has also benefited heavily from big-spending outside groups. The Lincoln Project, a super PAC founded by failed Republican strategists whose "singular mission" is to "defeat Donald Trump," has spent more than $1.3 million on ads backing Gross.
Gross ran in the state's Democratic primary as a "nonpartisan" candidate, receiving 74 percent of the vote. Sullivan, meanwhile, did not face a primary challenge. The Alaska Republican holds a strong financial advantage, having raised nearly $7.9 million to Gross's $5.2 million as of July 29. Sullivan holds $5.3 million on hand, compared with Gross's $2.9 million.
The Gross campaign did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-08-22--Detroit Women Flock to Gun Training

Detroit Women Flock to Gun Training

Tanisha Moner has had a gun pointed at her twice in her life .
Once by two strangers who kidnapped , robbed , and sexually assaulted her when she was 17 .
And , again , by another robber as she worked a management shift at a restaurant .
The traumatic experiences left her scarred , afraid of guns , shuddering at the sound of a firework and popped balloon .
That changed the day she decided to face her fears and showed up for a gun-carry class at a local range .
`` Succumbing to your own fear is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from doing anything you want to do , '' Moner told the Washington Free Beacon .
She said that first gun-safety training class years ago helped her overcome her fear and ignited a passion to help others overcome their own fears .
That 's why she says she decided to become an NRA-certified instructor .
Last weekend she took part in a basic handgun safety training event where she helped to train 1,938 Detroit women—more than double the event 's 2019 attendance .
The Sunday session was so popular that the classroom portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event in the range 's parking lot due to overcrowding concerns and coronavirus-related precautions .
The event may serve as another indicator of the unprecedented demand for guns and training driven by the coronavirus pandemic , civil unrest , and the 2020 elections .
About 10 million guns have been sold in the United States since March—a record-setting pace .
The diversity seen at the Detroit event coupled with dealer-reported increases in gun sales to minorities indicates the surge is bringing in new shooters from across the social and political spectrum .
Rick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Detroit area , founded the all-female training event in 2011 because of women like Moner .
He said he 'd seen too many stories of women in the city beaten , abused , and even murdered .
He had to do something after reading multiple reports of women being brutalized and dumped in trash cans across Detroit .
`` I was thinking , ‘ man , somebody should do something about that ' and the more I thought about it the more I thought , ‘ why do n't I do something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beacon .
`` I 'm not rich and I do n't have unlimited resources , but if you really feel that strongly about it , you can do something , right ? ''
Fifty women attended the first event .
It enjoyed steady growth , peaking at a record 814 women in 2019 , before surging alongside record gun sales and uncertainty .
`` I had no idea that women would respond in a way that they did .
They showed up in one wave and that wave did not abate until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They just kept coming . ''
Patrick Collins , a firearms instructor in Georgia , paid for his own flight and lodging to volunteer for the event .
He felt compelled to join in after hearing Moner 's story of perseverance .
Collins , who like Ector and Moner is black , said the fact that the event brought in women from all different races and backgrounds was one of the most appealing aspects of being involved .
`` I like the fact that we are changing what the normal demographic of shooters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beacon .
`` Because there is interest in other demographics that are not really noted . ''
He said many of the first-time shooters turned into first-time gun owners as a result of the event .
`` Quite a few of the women had me step out to help after the range because they wanted me to help them select a firearm , '' Collins told the Free Beacon .
`` And there were quite a few firearm sales there that day as well . ''
The local gun industry has rallied around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Top Gun Shooting Sports shut down for the weekend to play host ; Fenix Ammunition , a Michigan-based manufacturer , donated the ammo ; Second Amendment activists at Gun Owners of America donated the eye protection .
Collins said volunteers such as Moner and Collins deserved most of the credit for the event 's success , adding that he was `` overjoyed with the support '' from volunteer trainers .
Moner said helping women learn to take a more proactive role in their own safety is now part of her life 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my own personal police force around me 24/7 , '' Moner said .
`` It is my duty and obligation to take care of my own personal protection .
They 're gon na come after the fact , if I 'm lucky .
But who is there in that moment ?
I 've been in that moment on more than one occasion .
There 's nobody there but me . ''
Moner now spends much of her time teaching gun safety professionally .
She 's racked up several different certifications to teach NRA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those trying to obtain a Michigan permit .
She says the women 's training event—which Ector is looking to expand again next year—is her favorite event of the year .
`` I live for this event .
I really do , '' Moner said .
`` There 's nothing like seeing a woman pull the trigger on a firearm for the very first time .
It 's like a light just goes off in her .
It 's a moment of enlightenment . ''

Tanisha Moner has had a gun pointed at her twice in her life. Once by two strangers who kidnapped, robbed, and sexually assaulted her when she was 17. And, again, by another robber as she worked a management shift at a restaurant.
The traumatic experiences left her scarred, afraid of guns, shuddering at the sound of a firework and popped balloon. That changed the day she decided to face her fears and showed up for a gun-carry class at a local range.
"Succumbing to your own fear is the only thing that can stop you from doing anything you want to do," Moner told the Washington Free Beacon.
She said that first gun-safety training class years ago helped her overcome her fear and ignited a passion to help others overcome their own fears. That's why she says she decided to become an NRA-certified instructor. Last weekend she took part in a basic handgun safety training event where she helped to train 1,938 Detroit women—more than double the event's 2019 attendance. The Sunday session was so popular that the classroom portion had to be changed to an open-air event in the range's parking lot due to overcrowding concerns and coronavirus-related precautions.
The event may serve as another indicator of the unprecedented demand for guns and training driven by the coronavirus pandemic, civil unrest, and the 2020 elections. About 10 million guns have been sold in the United States since March—a record-setting pace. The diversity seen at the Detroit event coupled with dealer-reported increases in gun sales to minorities indicates the surge is bringing in new shooters from across the social and political spectrum.
Rick Ector, a prominent firearms instructor in the Detroit area, founded the all-female training event in 2011 because of women like Moner. He said he'd seen too many stories of women in the city beaten, abused, and even murdered. He had to do something after reading multiple reports of women being brutalized and dumped in trash cans across Detroit.
"I was thinking, 'man, somebody should do something about that' and the more I thought about it the more I thought, 'Why don't I do something?'" Ector told the Free Beacon. "I'm not rich and I don't have unlimited resources, but if you really feel that strongly about it, you can do something, right?"
Fifty women attended the first event. It enjoyed steady growth, peaking at a record 814 women in 2019, before surging alongside record gun sales and uncertainty.
"I had no idea that women would respond in a way that they did. They showed up in one wave and that wave did not abate until the evening," he said. "They just kept coming."
Patrick Collins, a firearms instructor in Georgia, paid for his own flight and lodging to volunteer for the event. He felt compelled to join in after hearing Moner's story of perseverance. Collins, who like Ector and Moner is black, said the fact that the event brought in women from all different races and backgrounds was one of the most appealing aspects of being involved.
"I like the fact that we are changing what the normal demographic of shooters is," he told the Free Beacon. "Because there is interest in other demographics that are not really noted."
He said many of the first-time shooters turned into first-time gun owners as a result of the event.
"Quite a few of the women had me step out to help after the range because they wanted me to help them select a firearm," Collins told the Free Beacon. "And there were quite a few firearm sales there that day as well."
The local gun industry has rallied around the event. Recoil Firearms Shooting Range and Top Gun Shooting Sports shut down for the weekend to play host; Fenix Ammunition, a Michigan-based manufacturer, donated the ammo; Second Amendment activists at Gun Owners of America donated the eye protection. Collins said volunteers such as Moner and Collins deserved most of the credit for the event's success, adding that he was "overjoyed with the support" from volunteer trainers.
Moner said helping women learn to take a more proactive role in their own safety is now part of her life's work.
"I don't have my own personal police force around me 24/7," Moner said. "It is my duty and obligation to take care of my own personal protection. They're gonna come after the fact, if I'm lucky. But who is there in that moment? I've been in that moment on more than one occasion. There's nobody there but me."
Moner now spends much of her time teaching gun safety professionally. She's racked up several different certifications to teach NRA training courses and offers a gun-carry course for those trying to obtain a Michigan permit. She says the women's training event—which Ector is looking to expand again next year—is her favorite event of the year.
"I live for this event. I really do," Moner said. "There's nothing like seeing a woman pull the trigger on a firearm for the very first time. It's like a light just goes off in her. It's a moment of enlightenment."


freebeacon--2020-08-22--Democrats Slow Roll Subpoenas For Christopher Steele Associates, Republicans Say

Sen. Gary Peters ( D , Mich. ) , the ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee , is slow rolling a subpoena for a former State Department official tied to the Christopher Steele dossier , Senate Republicans say .
Sen. Ron Johnson ( R , Wis. ) , who chairs the committee , vented at Peters Thursday , accusing him of resorting to `` absurd process arguments '' to undermine the panel 's investigation .
The official , Jonathan Winer , was Steele 's `` main conduit '' into the State Department , and he has since destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate Intelligence Committee 's report on Russian electoral interference .
`` Among other issues , Mr. Winer 's admitted destruction of his records related to his contacts with Christopher Steele is concerning and deserves an explanation , '' Johnson told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` I am looking forward to learning more from Mr. Winer in spite of Democrat attempts to further delay our investigation . ''
A committee source with knowledge of the process told the Free Beacon that Peters believes the full committee must vote anytime it changes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the subpoena .
Since such changes are frequent , committee Republicans believe that Peters is trying to bog the panel down in a series of logistical votes , thus delaying Winer 's testimony .
`` They 're throwing up all these roadblocks and kicking and screaming the whole way , '' the source said .
`` The question is , what is there to hide ? ''
Senator Peters 's office did not respond to the Free Beacon ‘ s inquiries .
The Homeland Security Committee is conducting an investigation into misconduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the various unmaskings during the Trump transition , and the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane inquiry .
The committee granted Johnson power to subpoena about 30 people , including Winer .
Winer and Steele first became acquainted given a mutual interest in Russian oligarchy and organized crime , according to the Intelligence Committee report .
Steele was a prolific source for Winer and his Foggy Bottom colleagues , providing over 100 reports on Eastern European political and economic issues between 2013 and 2016 .
In September 2016 , Winer reviewed Steele dossier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disseminate to senior State Department colleagues .
That memo served as the basis for an `` extremely sensitive '' dossier briefing delivered to then-secretary of state John Kerry .
Winer also arranged meetings between Steele and other State Department officials , according to visitors logs the Intelligence Committee obtained .
After BuzzFeed News published the dossier in full in January 2017 , Winer destroyed all of his correspondence with Steele , as well as the reports Steele shared with the State Department .
Steele asked Winer to do so out of concern that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source network .
Johnson and committee Republicans want to question Winer about his connection to Steele .
The chairman also issued a subpoena to FBI director Christopher Wray .
Peters is seeking a second term in the Senate this November .
He faces Republican John James .

Sen. Gary Peters (D., Mich.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, is slow rolling a subpoena for a former State Department official tied to the Christopher Steele dossier, Senate Republicans say.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.), who chairs the committee, vented at Peters Thursday, accusing him of resorting to "absurd process arguments" to undermine the panel's investigation. The official, Jonathan Winer, was Steele's "main conduit" into the State Department, and he has since destroyed much of their correspondence, according to the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on Russian electoral interference.
"Among other issues, Mr. Winer's admitted destruction of his records related to his contacts with Christopher Steele is concerning and deserves an explanation," Johnson told the Washington Free Beacon. "I am looking forward to learning more from Mr. Winer in spite of Democrat attempts to further delay our investigation."
A committee source with knowledge of the process told the Free Beacon that Peters believes the full committee must vote anytime it changes the date, time, or location appearing on the subpoena. Since such changes are frequent, committee Republicans believe that Peters is trying to bog the panel down in a series of logistical votes, thus delaying Winer's testimony.
"They're throwing up all these roadblocks and kicking and screaming the whole way," the source said. "The question is, what is there to hide?"
Senator Peters's office did not respond to the Free Beacon's inquiries.
The Homeland Security Committee is conducting an investigation into misconduct at the FBI surrounding the Steele dossier, the various unmaskings during the Trump transition, and the origins of the Crossfire Hurricane inquiry. The committee granted Johnson power to subpoena about 30 people, including Winer.
Winer and Steele first became acquainted given a mutual interest in Russian oligarchy and organized crime, according to the Intelligence Committee report. Steele was a prolific source for Winer and his Foggy Bottom colleagues, providing over 100 reports on Eastern European political and economic issues between 2013 and 2016.
In September 2016, Winer reviewed Steele dossier materials and created a two-page memo to disseminate to senior State Department colleagues. That memo served as the basis for an "extremely sensitive" dossier briefing delivered to then-secretary of state John Kerry. Winer also arranged meetings between Steele and other State Department officials, according to visitors logs the Intelligence Committee obtained.
After BuzzFeed News published the dossier in full in January 2017, Winer destroyed all of his correspondence with Steele, as well as the reports Steele shared with the State Department. Steele asked Winer to do so out of concern that they could be used to reconstruct his source network.
Johnson and committee Republicans want to question Winer about his connection to Steele. The chairman also issued a subpoena to FBI director Christopher Wray.
Peters is seeking a second term in the Senate this November. He faces Republican John James.


freebeacon--2020-08-23--This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 7

This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 7

Welcome back to Campus Insanity , a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation 's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education .
A prominent economist at Duke University mapped out a reparations plan that would give $ 800,000 to the descendants of slaves and would cost the U.S. government upward of $ 12 trillion .
Student leaders in Princeton 's Graduate Student Government said the school 's affirmation of free speech was `` tone deaf '' and protected hatred .
4 .
Texas A & M Professor Says It Was ‘ Good News ' Rep. Gohmert Got COVID , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It Too | The Blaze In a Facebook post , Texas A & M University professor Filipe de Castro called the late Republican Herman Cain `` stupid '' and said it was `` good news '' Rep. Louie Gohmert ( R. , Texas ) was diagnosed with the coronavirus .
Castro also said that he hopes President Donald Trump—whom he referred to as `` fat klansman '' —and Vice President Mike Pence get it too .
3 .
CU-Boulder Looks to Pay ‘ Underrepresented ' Students $ 20/hr for ‘ Eco-Social Justice ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Boulder 's Environmental Center is hiring `` Eco-Social Justice Coordinators '' this fall and will prioritize `` underrepresented '' student applicants , including students of color , LGBT students , students with disabilities , and first-generation college students .
Iowa State University English professor Chloe Clark—who shares no relation to this article 's co-author , Chrissy Clark—told her students that they were not allowed to argue against abortion , Black Lives Matter , or gay marriage in the classroom or in assignments .
1 .
Cal State Long Beach 's New Mascot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pronouns | The College Fix California State University Long Beach unveiled its new mascot , Elbee , a nonbinary shark that uses they/them pronouns .
Sing it with us : Nonbinary shark , doo , doo , doo , doo , doo , doo .
Want more Campus Insanity ?
Read Vol .
6 here .
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy @ freebeacon.com & nester @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome back to Campus Insanity, a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education.
6. Duke Professor Lays Out $12 Trillion Slavery Reparations Plan | New York Post
A prominent economist at Duke University mapped out a reparations plan that would give $800,000 to the descendants of slaves and would cost the U.S. government upward of $12 trillion.
5. Princeton Graduate Student Government Calls Admin's Support of Free Speech 'Unacceptable' | Campus Reform
Student leaders in Princeton's Graduate Student Government said the school's affirmation of free speech was "tone deaf" and protected hatred.
4. Texas A&M Professor Says It Was 'Good News' Rep. Gohmert Got COVID, Hopes 'Fat Klansman' Trump Gets It Too | The Blaze
In a Facebook post, Texas A&M University professor Filipe de Castro called the late Republican Herman Cain "stupid" and said it was "good news" Rep. Louie Gohmert (R., Texas) was diagnosed with the coronavirus. Castro also said that he hopes President Donald Trump—whom he referred to as "fat klansman"—and Vice President Mike Pence get it too.
3. CU-Boulder Looks to Pay 'Underrepresented' Students $20/hr for 'Eco-Social Justice' Jobs | Campus Reform
The University of Colorado Boulder's Environmental Center is hiring "Eco-Social Justice Coordinators" this fall and will prioritize "underrepresented" student applicants, including students of color, LGBT students, students with disabilities, and first-generation college students.
2. Iowa State Professor Prohibits Students From Criticizing Abortion and Black Lives Matter | Washington Free Beacon
Iowa State University English professor Chloe Clark—who shares no relation to this article's co-author, Chrissy Clark—told her students that they were not allowed to argue against abortion, Black Lives Matter, or gay marriage in the classroom or in assignments.
1. Cal State Long Beach's New Mascot: A Nonbinary Shark That Uses Plural Pronouns | The College Fix
California State University Long Beach unveiled its new mascot, Elbee, a nonbinary shark that uses they/them pronouns. Sing it with us: Nonbinary shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.
Want more Campus Insanity? Read Vol. 6 here.
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy@freebeacon.com & nester@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-08-23--America Is Polarized. One Thing Can Still Unite Us: Rooting for Joe Kennedy to Fail

Election Day is fast approaching and the country remains as polarized as ever .
Political meaning has been grafted onto every decision we make in our daily lives .
To have the wrong opinion is to commit an act of violence .
Refusing to take sides is just as harmful , if not more so , than picking the bad side .
There is still , however , at least one upcoming event that can unite our fractured nation and bring joy to the hearts of all Americans , regardless of political persuasion .
On September 1 , the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state of Massachusetts .
The incumbent , Sen. Ed Markey ( D. ) , is being challenged by Rep. Joe Kennedy III ( D. ) , a ginger-haired pipsqueak .
Kennedy is also , of course , a member of the degenerate political dynasty whose legacy is defined by death , addiction , sexual assault , and sympathy for the Nazi regime .
Rooting for Kennedy 's defeat—for his overwhelming and humiliating rejection at the hands of Massachusetts voters—might be one of the last remaining moral convictions that can transcend the bounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collective purpose for the good of all mankind .
Kennedy is the 2020 equivalent of Sean Eldridge , the Facebook spouse who tried and failed multiple times to buy his way into Congress .
Except Kennedy is even more obnoxious than Eldridge in almost every way .
Eldridge ran for Congress because he was rich , entitled , and bored .
Kennedy is all those things and more .
Unlike Eldridge , who challenged a Republican incumbent after running unopposed in the primary , Kennedy is trying to unseat a well-liked Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because explicitly running the message `` I 'm a Kennedy '' would be considered gauche , Kennedy claims his campaign is based on his firm belief that `` it 's time for new leadership . ''
That 's an unusual rationale for the guy whose great uncle Teddy represented the state for nearly half a century—notwithstanding his fondness for `` waitress sandwiches '' and the time he left a woman to drown in his car , but what else can he really say ?
Kennedy , 39 , broke onto the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kennedy to persuade her old friend Nancy Pelosi to let him give the Democratic response to President Trump 's State of the Union address .
The speech was unremarkable except for the fact that viewers were astounded by the wetness of Kennedy 's mouth .
Having served in Congress for six whole years , Kennedy decided to challenge Markey for the state 's Senate seat .
It was either that or wait until 2024 when Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
would be up for reelection , but he presumably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being manhandled by a cold-blooded schoolmarm .
Markey , for his part , has done a commendable job of embarrassing the wet-mouthed whippersnapper during the Democratic primary debates .
Earlier this weekend , Markey repeatedly challenged Kennedy on the debate stage to `` tell your father '' to stop funding a super PAC running negative ads against him .
Kennedy responded days later by using the exchange as an excuse to run a more authentic campaign .
`` If [ Markey ] wants to talk about the Kennedys , then I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressman said at a press conference within sight of a federal building named after President John F. Kennedy , one of the most notorious Democratic sexual deviants of the pre-Clinton era .
The Kennedys reached out again to family friend Nancy Pelosi and convinced her to weigh in on the Massachusetts primary by offering a rare endorsement .
Pelosi said she was compelled to publicly support Kennedy because she `` wasn ’ t too happy with some of the assault that I saw made on the Kennedy family . ''
In this age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems hopelessly divided and unable to agree on the most basic of issues—whether private citizens , for example , should be publicly shamed and fired for wearing a stupid Halloween costume near a Washington Post columnist—there is still light on the horizon .
Is it the flaming red glare of Joe Kennedy 's tussled coif ?
Or the blinding sheen of his damp jowls ?
Either way , it must be extinguished .
Americans can still unite in 2020 by rooting for his failure .
America prevailed in 2016 , when Sean Eldridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will prevail again , because she must .

Election Day is fast approaching and the country remains as polarized as ever. Political meaning has been grafted onto every decision we make in our daily lives. To have the wrong opinion is to commit an act of violence. Refusing to take sides is just as harmful, if not more so, than picking the bad side.
There is still, however, at least one upcoming event that can unite our fractured nation and bring joy to the hearts of all Americans, regardless of political persuasion.
On September 1, the Democratic Party will hold its Senate primary in the state of Massachusetts. The incumbent, Sen. Ed Markey (D.), is being challenged by Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D.), a ginger-haired pipsqueak. Kennedy is also, of course, a member of the degenerate political dynasty whose legacy is defined by death, addiction, sexual assault, and sympathy for the Nazi regime.
Rooting for Kennedy's defeat—for his overwhelming and humiliating rejection at the hands of Massachusetts voters—might be one of the last remaining moral convictions that can transcend the bounds of partisanship and unite the country behind a collective purpose for the good of all mankind.
Kennedy is the 2020 equivalent of Sean Eldridge, the Facebook spouse who tried and failed multiple times to buy his way into Congress. Except Kennedy is even more obnoxious than Eldridge in almost every way. Eldridge ran for Congress because he was rich, entitled, and bored. Kennedy is all those things and more.
Unlike Eldridge, who challenged a Republican incumbent after running unopposed in the primary, Kennedy is trying to unseat a well-liked Democrat with a liberal record—for no good reason. Because explicitly running the message "I'm a Kennedy" would be considered gauche, Kennedy claims his campaign is based on his firm belief that "it's time for new leadership."
That's an unusual rationale for the guy whose great uncle Teddy represented the state for nearly half a century—notwithstanding his fondness for "waitress sandwiches" and the time he left a woman to drown in his car, but what else can he really say?
Kennedy, 39, broke onto the national scene in 2018 when he got Caroline Kennedy to persuade her old friend Nancy Pelosi to let him give the Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union address. The speech was unremarkable except for the fact that viewers were astounded by the wetness of Kennedy's mouth.
Was that drool coming out of Joe Kennedy’s mouth?https://t.co/6a0AM3HLMR pic.twitter.com/8J60GndCV1 — POLITICO (@politico) January 31, 2018
Having served in Congress for six whole years, Kennedy decided to challenge Markey for the state's Senate seat. It was either that or wait until 2024 when Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) would be up for reelection, but he presumably didn't want to suffer the humiliation of being manhandled by a cold-blooded schoolmarm.
Markey, for his part, has done a commendable job of embarrassing the wet-mouthed whippersnapper during the Democratic primary debates. Earlier this weekend, Markey repeatedly challenged Kennedy on the debate stage to "tell your father" to stop funding a super PAC running negative ads against him.
Kennedy responded days later by using the exchange as an excuse to run a more authentic campaign. "If [Markey] wants to talk about the Kennedys, then I will talk about the Kennedys," the congressman said at a press conference within sight of a federal building named after President John F. Kennedy, one of the most notorious Democratic sexual deviants of the pre-Clinton era.
The Kennedys reached out again to family friend Nancy Pelosi and convinced her to weigh in on the Massachusetts primary by offering a rare endorsement. Pelosi said she was compelled to publicly support Kennedy because she "wasn’t too happy with some of the assault that I saw made on the Kennedy family."
In this age of hyper-politicized partisanship, when the country seems hopelessly divided and unable to agree on the most basic of issues—whether private citizens, for example, should be publicly shamed and fired for wearing a stupid Halloween costume near a Washington Post columnist—there is still light on the horizon.
Is it the flaming red glare of Joe Kennedy's tussled coif? Or the blinding sheen of his damp jowls? Either way, it must be extinguished. Americans can still unite in 2020 by rooting for his failure. America prevailed in 2014, when Sean Eldridge was trounced by 30 points. America will prevail again, because she must.


freebeacon--2020-08-23--Liberals Embrace Post Office Conspiracy Theories

With an expected surge in 2020 in mail-in voting , Joe Biden , Nancy Pelosi , Hillary Clinton , and others have accused the Trump administration of a sinister effort to dismantle the U.S .
Postal Service and undermine the election .
`` They ’ re going around literally with tractor trailers picking up mailboxes , '' Biden said at an online fundraiser last week .
`` From what we see at the postal service , the removal of mailboxes , the removal of equipment within the postal offices and the rest is to undermine the postal service at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now more than ever , '' Pelosi said .
`` I 'm really worried that there will be direct interference with the election through the manipulation of the postal service , '' Clinton said .
`` There is a deliberate effort to sabotage vote by mail . ''
`` By tampering with the postal service , he is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy , '' former presidential candidate Al Gore said .
Others have accused Trump of trying to `` sabotage '' the postal service or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's ( D. , N.Y. ) words , `` destroy '' it .
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , however , testified Friday that there `` have been no changes in any policies with regard to election mail for the 2020 election . ''
DeJoy is a major donor to President Donald Trump but was elected to his position by a bipartisan board of governors .
He announced this week that the USPS would suspend any operational changes until after the election to remove the appearance of impropriety .
Trump has repeatedly claimed mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats tied innocuous removals of mail collection bins to Republican efforts to disenfranchise voters , but such maneuvers are commonplace from the USPS .
In 2016 for instance , the inspector general testified 12,000 collection boxes had been taken out over the previous five years of the Obama administration .
Democrats have also attacked DeJoy , a logistics expert , for curbing overtime at the USPS .
Liberals also shared viral photos of mailboxes with locks on them and portrayed them as an effort to sabotage the mail system .
In reality , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` fishing , '' or stealing mail .

With an expected surge in 2020 in mail-in voting, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and others have accused the Trump administration of a sinister effort to dismantle the U.S. Postal Service and undermine the election.
"They’re going around literally with tractor trailers picking up mailboxes," Biden said at an online fundraiser last week.
"From what we see at the postal service, the removal of mailboxes, the removal of equipment within the postal offices and the rest is to undermine the postal service at a time when the postal service is needed now more than ever," Pelosi said.
"I'm really worried that there will be direct interference with the election through the manipulation of the postal service," Clinton said. "There is a deliberate effort to sabotage vote by mail."
"By tampering with the postal service, he is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy," former presidential candidate Al Gore said.
Others have accused Trump of trying to "sabotage" the postal service or even, in Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D., N.Y.) words, "destroy" it.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, however, testified Friday that there "have been no changes in any policies with regard to election mail for the 2020 election." DeJoy is a major donor to President Donald Trump but was elected to his position by a bipartisan board of governors. He announced this week that the USPS would suspend any operational changes until after the election to remove the appearance of impropriety. Trump has repeatedly claimed mass mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud.
Democrats tied innocuous removals of mail collection bins to Republican efforts to disenfranchise voters, but such maneuvers are commonplace from the USPS. In 2016 for instance, the inspector general testified 12,000 collection boxes had been taken out over the previous five years of the Obama administration. Democrats have also attacked DeJoy, a logistics expert, for curbing overtime at the USPS.
Liberals also shared viral photos of mailboxes with locks on them and portrayed them as an effort to sabotage the mail system. In reality, the locks were typical ones to prevent "fishing," or stealing mail.


freebeacon--2020-08-23--LA Mayor: Biden’s Economic Plan is ‘Most Progressive’ We Will See ‘in Our Lifetimes’

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti ( D. ) said Sunday that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden 's economic plan is the most progressive plan that `` we will see in our lifetimes . ''
`` We have been talking until we 're blue in the face about the most progressive and most expansive economic plan that we will see in our lifetimes in America , '' Garcetti said on CBS 's Face the Nation .
He said the Biden economic plan involves four planks that include focuses on racial justice , domestic manufacturing , and energy-based jobs .
He did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a national co-chair of Biden 's presidential campaign , also accused President Trump of `` killing Americans '' and `` killing our economy . ''
`` It is such a contrast between two people who have a heart and experience that this country needs , and a man who has neither , '' he said .
His comments echoed recent remarks by former president Barack Obama , who said that Biden 's economic plans share many similarities with Sen. Bernie Sanders 's ( I. , Vt. ) .
`` If you look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders 's goals , they 're not that different from a forty-thousand-foot level , '' Obama told the New Yorker .
`` A lot of times , the issue has to do with , ‘ How do we go about that , and what are the coalitions we need ? '
'' Obama added .
`` What I think the moment has done is to change some of those calculations , not because necessarily Joe 's changed but because circumstances have changed . ''
Biden did not offer many specifics on his economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Convention last week .
He has called for $ 700 billion in new federal spending on American-made products and research .
He has also put forward a $ 2 trillion climate plan that is heavily influenced by the framework of the Green New Deal .

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti (D.) said Sunday that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's economic plan is the most progressive plan that "we will see in our lifetimes."
"We have been talking until we're blue in the face about the most progressive and most expansive economic plan that we will see in our lifetimes in America," Garcetti said on CBS's Face the Nation. He said the Biden economic plan involves four planks that include focuses on racial justice, domestic manufacturing, and energy-based jobs. He did not add any policy specifics.
Garcetti, a national co-chair of Biden's presidential campaign, also accused President Trump of "killing Americans" and "killing our economy."
"It is such a contrast between two people who have a heart and experience that this country needs, and a man who has neither," he said.
His comments echoed recent remarks by former president Barack Obama, who said that Biden's economic plans share many similarities with Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.).
"If you look at Joe Biden's goals and Bernie Sanders's goals, they're not that different from a forty-thousand-foot level," Obama told the New Yorker.
"A lot of times, the issue has to do with, 'How do we go about that, and what are the coalitions we need?'" Obama added. "What I think the moment has done is to change some of those calculations, not because necessarily Joe's changed but because circumstances have changed."
Biden did not offer many specifics on his economic plans during his speech at the Democratic National Convention last week. He has called for $700 billion in new federal spending on American-made products and research. He has also put forward a $2 trillion climate plan that is heavily influenced by the framework of the Green New Deal.


freebeacon--2020-08-24--Top Universities Take Millions From China Front Group

Dozens of universities , including Columbia and Stanford , are hosting the Chinese government-funded Confucius Institute despite increasing scrutiny from the federal government .
Many elite universities with Confucius Institute programs appear to be unfazed by the Trump administration 's decision last week to designate the D.C-based headquarters of the program as a `` foreign mission '' —a label the U.S. government applies to entities it finds to be directly controlled by a foreign power .
Despite the announcement , nearly 50 colleges and universities will continue their partnership with Confucius Institute programs , which comes with up to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The cushy partnership between American universities and the Chinese regime has restricted academic freedom on campus , frequently forcing administrators and faculty members to self-censor to avoid Beijing 's wrath .
While many universities rely on the organization to support Mandarin language classes and Chinese culture lessons , the program also bars its staff from discussing topics considered taboo by the Chinese Communist Party , such as the Xinjiang concentration camps or the Hong Kong protests .
Growing bipartisan criticism for the program has pushed more than 50 colleges and universities to cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the first eight months of 2020 , 22 universities have eliminated chapters of the Confucius Institute—one more than the number of chapters shut down in all of 2019 .
Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R. , Tenn. ) , a consistent critic of the Confucius Institute in Congress , applauded the universities for ending their ties with the program but warned that the colleges might still find alternative means to partner with the Chinese government .
`` I am pleased that some universities … have recognized the harm Confucius Institutes cause to higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , our work here is not done until every Confucius Institute is closed , even if they present themselves under another name or through another branch of the Hanban , and we must stay vigilant and flexible to keep up with Chinese tactics . ''
After the White House announced the `` foreign mission '' designation , the Washington Free Beacon reached out to all U.S. colleges and universities with an active Confucius Institute .
Few colleges responded—some said they intend to maintain ties with the program , while others said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their Confucius Institute programs prior to the White House announcement .
The Chinese government has funneled more than $ 150 million into U.S. universities to fund more than 100 Confucius Institute programs across the country , according to a Senate report .
Its impact on academic discourse alarmed legislators , who have passed bipartisan legislation to curtail its influence .
Despite bipartisan concerns , several universities , such as George Washington University and SUNY Albany , told the Free Beacon that the program poses no threat to academic freedom .
`` The State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute U.S. Center based in Washington , D.C. , not campus-based institutes , '' a SUNY Albany spokesman said .
The `` foreign mission '' designation appears to have compelled some universities to reassess their relationship with the program .
Tufts University , Stony Brook University , and two other colleges told the Free Beacon that they are reviewing the Trump administration 's decision to see if it calls for a change in their relationships with the Confucius Institute .
None , however , have committed to end their relationships with the program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country has rapidly decreased in the last two years .
While universities cite numerous reasons for the closures—from budgetary concerns to the current pandemic—the political pressure has played a large factor , according to Rachelle Peterson , director of research for the National Association of Scholars .
Peterson said that some schools might still retain ties with the Chinese government even after they nominally sever ties with the Confucius Institute .
For example , while Pace University terminated its ties with the Confucius Institute in 2019 , the university continues to employ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program that succeeded the school 's Confucius Institute .
The University of Michigan , another school that terminated ties with the Confucius Institute in 2019 , has promised to stay in communication with Hanban , the Chinese government arm that organizes the Confucius Institute , to explore alternative arrangements .
`` The Confucius Institute brand is no longer attractive .
However , that 's not to say colleges and universities are walking back their partnerships with China , they 're just walking back Confucius institutes , '' Peterson said .
`` Universities are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're just playing a PR game . ''

Dozens of universities, including Columbia and Stanford, are hosting the Chinese government-funded Confucius Institute despite increasing scrutiny from the federal government.
Many elite universities with Confucius Institute programs appear to be unfazed by the Trump administration's decision last week to designate the D.C-based headquarters of the program as a "foreign mission"—a label the U.S. government applies to entities it finds to be directly controlled by a foreign power. Despite the announcement, nearly 50 colleges and universities will continue their partnership with Confucius Institute programs, which comes with up to $1 million in Chinese government funding.
The cushy partnership between American universities and the Chinese regime has restricted academic freedom on campus, frequently forcing administrators and faculty members to self-censor to avoid Beijing's wrath. While many universities rely on the organization to support Mandarin language classes and Chinese culture lessons, the program also bars its staff from discussing topics considered taboo by the Chinese Communist Party, such as the Xinjiang concentration camps or the Hong Kong protests.
Growing bipartisan criticism for the program has pushed more than 50 colleges and universities to cut ties with the Chinese government. In just the first eight months of 2020, 22 universities have eliminated chapters of the Confucius Institute—one more than the number of chapters shut down in all of 2019.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), a consistent critic of the Confucius Institute in Congress, applauded the universities for ending their ties with the program but warned that the colleges might still find alternative means to partner with the Chinese government.
"I am pleased that some universities ... have recognized the harm Confucius Institutes cause to higher learning," she said. "However, our work here is not done until every Confucius Institute is closed, even if they present themselves under another name or through another branch of the Hanban, and we must stay vigilant and flexible to keep up with Chinese tactics."
After the White House announced the "foreign mission" designation, the Washington Free Beacon reached out to all U.S. colleges and universities with an active Confucius Institute. Few colleges responded—some said they intend to maintain ties with the program, while others said that they had preexisting plans to phase out their Confucius Institute programs prior to the White House announcement.
The Chinese government has funneled more than $150 million into U.S. universities to fund more than 100 Confucius Institute programs across the country, according to a Senate report. Its impact on academic discourse alarmed legislators, who have passed bipartisan legislation to curtail its influence. Despite bipartisan concerns, several universities, such as George Washington University and SUNY Albany, told the Free Beacon that the program poses no threat to academic freedom.
"The State Department's designation pertained to the Confucius Institute U.S. Center based in Washington, D.C., not campus-based institutes," a SUNY Albany spokesman said.
The "foreign mission" designation appears to have compelled some universities to reassess their relationship with the program. Tufts University, Stony Brook University, and two other colleges told the Free Beacon that they are reviewing the Trump administration's decision to see if it calls for a change in their relationships with the Confucius Institute. None, however, have committed to end their relationships with the program.
The number of Confucius Institutes in the country has rapidly decreased in the last two years. While universities cite numerous reasons for the closures—from budgetary concerns to the current pandemic—the political pressure has played a large factor, according to Rachelle Peterson, director of research for the National Association of Scholars.
Peterson said that some schools might still retain ties with the Chinese government even after they nominally sever ties with the Confucius Institute. For example, while Pace University terminated its ties with the Confucius Institute in 2019, the university continues to employ Confucius Institute staffers in the new Asia program that succeeded the school's Confucius Institute. The University of Michigan, another school that terminated ties with the Confucius Institute in 2019, has promised to stay in communication with Hanban, the Chinese government arm that organizes the Confucius Institute, to explore alternative arrangements.
"The Confucius Institute brand is no longer attractive. However, that's not to say colleges and universities are walking back their partnerships with China, they're just walking back Confucius institutes," Peterson said. "Universities aren't really learning the lesson, they're just playing a PR game."


freebeacon--2020-08-24--Amid Coronavirus, Democratic Party Takes Aim at School Choice

The Democratic Party 's 2020 education platform includes the elimination of private school vouchers , which are popular with many parents—especially blacks and Latinos—amid the coronavirus pandemic .
In the official 2020 Democratic Party Platform , the party argues that private school vouchers `` divert taxpayer-funded resources away from the public school system . ''
Yet a poll commissioned by the American Federation for Children found that most voters—including 82 percent of Latinos and 68 percent of blacks—support using taxpayer dollars to send their children to a school that `` best serves their needs , '' public or private .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic platform and public opinion : In an August poll of Oklahoma parents , 63 percent said that they should be allowed to send their children , along with their tax dollars , to the school of their choice if public schools do not open .
The explicit call to eliminate vouchers goes further than the party 's previous platforms .
While the Democratic Party 's official platform in 2012 supported strengthening public schools to lower the dropout rate of minority and low-income students , it did not attack private school vouchers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of black Americans support , according to two polls .
School choice advocates have criticized the new platform , saying that it hurts those it is intended to help .
Kayla Svedin , the founder of the school choice group Empowered Arizona Families , told the Washington Free Beacon that Democrats like vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris need to realize the importance of voucher programs .
`` Access to school choice options should not be a partisan issue , '' Svedin said .
`` As a fellow woman of color , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her eyes to just how important it is to help our students succeed .
School choice programs empower families in our low income and minority communities to meet their children 's educational needs by providing access to resources they would otherwise be unable to attain . ''
The elimination of voucher options could create new headaches for parents amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Virginia Walden Ford , the champion of the D.C .
Opportunity Scholarship Program , told the Free Beacon that now is the time for school choice because parents are terrified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down .
She also noted that scores of children have joined online schools that specialize in virtual learning after having bad experiences with public online classrooms .
`` What scares parents is not having information and thinking that they only have one choice , '' Walden Ford said .
`` Parents have been teaching their children at home so they know now that there 's another option . ''

The Democratic Party's 2020 education platform includes the elimination of private school vouchers, which are popular with many parents—especially blacks and Latinos—amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In the official 2020 Democratic Party Platform, the party argues that private school vouchers "divert taxpayer-funded resources away from the public school system." Yet a poll commissioned by the American Federation for Children found that most voters—including 82 percent of Latinos and 68 percent of blacks—support using taxpayer dollars to send their children to a school that "best serves their needs," public or private. COVID-19 has exacerbated the divide between the Democratic platform and public opinion: In an August poll of Oklahoma parents, 63 percent said that they should be allowed to send their children, along with their tax dollars, to the school of their choice if public schools do not open.
The explicit call to eliminate vouchers goes further than the party's previous platforms. While the Democratic Party's official platform in 2012 supported strengthening public schools to lower the dropout rate of minority and low-income students, it did not attack private school vouchers, which 57 percent of Latinos and 69 percent of black Americans support, according to two polls.
School choice advocates have criticized the new platform, saying that it hurts those it is intended to help. Kayla Svedin, the founder of the school choice group Empowered Arizona Families, told the Washington Free Beacon that Democrats like vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris need to realize the importance of voucher programs.
"Access to school choice options should not be a partisan issue," Svedin said. "As a fellow woman of color, I would hope that Kamala Harris would open her eyes to just how important it is to help our students succeed. School choice programs empower families in our low income and minority communities to meet their children's educational needs by providing access to resources they would otherwise be unable to attain."
The elimination of voucher options could create new headaches for parents amid the coronavirus pandemic. Virginia Walden Ford, the champion of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, told the Free Beacon that now is the time for school choice because parents are terrified that their only public option will be shut down. She also noted that scores of children have joined online schools that specialize in virtual learning after having bad experiences with public online classrooms.
"What scares parents is not having information and thinking that they only have one choice," Walden Ford said. "Parents have been teaching their children at home so they know now that there's another option."


freebeacon--2020-08-24--German Doctors Confirm Russian Opposition Leader Poisoned

Upon Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny ’ s arrival in Germany for treatment , doctors confirmed the politician was poisoned , the New York Post reported Monday .
The transfer was delayed by Russian authorities after Navalny lapsed into a coma last week .
Russian doctors claimed no knowledge of the toxin German medical officials identified in his system .
`` The team of doctors examined the patient in detail after his arrival .
The clinical findings indicate poisoning by a substance from the group of active substances called cholinesterase inhibitors , '' the Charité hospital in Berlin said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is serious , but there is currently no acute danger to his life , '' doctors added .
Navalny is one of Russian president Vladimir Putin ’ s most prominent critics .
Other notable dissenters have fallen mysteriously ill or gone missing after making anti-Putin comments .
Washington has yet to make an official statement on the matter .
However , Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan declared his awareness of the ongoing situation and pledged his best efforts to get to the bottom of it .
Sullivan said Navalny ’ s case would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of State Stephen Biegun ’ s visit to Russia , which begins Tuesday .
`` With Alexei Navalny in a hospital in Berlin , our dialogue with Russia must include re-emphasizing the importance of free speech and civil society , '' Sullivan said .
German president Angela Merkel told reporters Monday that those responsible for Navalny ’ s poisoning `` must be held accountable . ''

Upon Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s arrival in Germany for treatment, doctors confirmed the politician was poisoned, the New York Post reported Monday.
The transfer was delayed by Russian authorities after Navalny lapsed into a coma last week. Russian doctors claimed no knowledge of the toxin German medical officials identified in his system.
"The team of doctors examined the patient in detail after his arrival. The clinical findings indicate poisoning by a substance from the group of active substances called cholinesterase inhibitors," the Charité hospital in Berlin said in a statement Monday.
"His health is serious, but there is currently no acute danger to his life," doctors added.
Navalny is one of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critics. Other notable dissenters have fallen mysteriously ill or gone missing after making anti-Putin comments.
Washington has yet to make an official statement on the matter. However, Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan declared his awareness of the ongoing situation and pledged his best efforts to get to the bottom of it.
Sullivan said Navalny’s case would be on the agenda for Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun’s visit to Russia, which begins Tuesday.
"With Alexei Navalny in a hospital in Berlin, our dialogue with Russia must include re-emphasizing the importance of free speech and civil society," Sullivan said.
German president Angela Merkel told reporters Monday that those responsible for Navalny’s poisoning "must be held accountable."


freebeacon--2020-08-24--Prominent Racist Declares Support for Joe Biden, Democratic Party

The Democratic Party hosted its virtual convention last week , an underwhelming event that sought to portray the party as a `` big tent '' movement that would welcome former Trump supporters .
That tent just got a little bit bigger .
Richard Spencer , a prominent racist and Duke University alumnus , declared his support for Joe Biden 's presidential campaign and announced his intention to vote a `` straight Democratic ticket '' in the 2020 election .
`` I plan to vote for Joe Biden and a straight democratic ticket , '' the racist wrote on Twitter over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on ‘ accelerationism ' or anything like that ; the liberals are clearly more competent people . ''
Spencer , who has appeared on CNN to discuss President Donald Trump 's `` racist tweets , '' also created his own Joe Biden campaign avatar and posted a photo of it on social media .
Biden , who has refused to apologize for praising segregationist colleagues in the Senate , was accused of supporting racist policies by his own running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) , during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Spencer 's announcement with predictable ( and deafening ) silence .

The 'big tent' party just got even bigger
The Democratic Party hosted its virtual convention last week, an underwhelming event that sought to portray the party as a "big tent" movement that would welcome former Trump supporters. That tent just got a little bit bigger.
Richard Spencer, a prominent racist and Duke University alumnus, declared his support for Joe Biden's presidential campaign and announced his intention to vote a "straight Democratic ticket" in the 2020 election.
"I plan to vote for Joe Biden and a straight democratic ticket," the racist wrote on Twitter over the weekend. "It's not based on 'accelerationism' or anything like that; the liberals are clearly more competent people."
Spencer, who has appeared on CNN to discuss President Donald Trump's "racist tweets," also created his own Joe Biden campaign avatar and posted a photo of it on social media.
https://twitter.com/RichardBSpencer/status/1297784110719463424
Biden, who has refused to apologize for praising segregationist colleagues in the Senate, was accused of supporting racist policies by his own running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), during the Democratic primary.
The mainstream media reacted to Spencer's announcement with predictable (and deafening) silence.


freebeacon--2020-08-24--Liberal ‘Fake News’ Site Spends Millions on Deceptive Facebook Campaign

Courier Newsroom , a `` news '' site bankrolled by a major Democratic fundraising network , has undertaken a seven-figure ad campaign to push flattering pieces about vulnerable House Democrats , garnering at least a million impressions on social media .
The eye-popping number is evidence of a new frontier in political advertising as political organizations operating under the guise of news outlets push content to impressionable swing-state voters .
The candidates Courier boosts on Facebook overlap substantially with the candidates backed by top Democratic donors Laurene Powell Jobs—the billionaire widow of Apple pioneer Steve Jobs—and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pieces that mirror the candidates ' own press releases , provides a complementary outlet for Democrats to pursue their political goals .
Courier Newsroom is funded by the left-wing nonprofit ACRONYM , which counts Jobs and Hoffman among its high-profile donors .
While Jobs has denied funding Courier Newsroom , her parallel donations make clear that Courier shares the same political goals as ACRONYM ’ s billionaire donors .
Jobs , worth an estimated $ 26.8 billion , has emerged as a top Democratic donor and media titan , investing in news outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones .
As a donor to ACRONYM , she has effectively blurred the lines between the two .
This election cycle , Courier has boosted nearly a dozen vulnerable Democratic candidates on Facebook , where its posts have reached millions of users , according to Facebook analytics .
Those candidates include Democratic Reps. Lauren Underwood ( Ill. ) , Xochitl Torres Small ( N.M. ) , Andy Kim ( N.J. ) , Abigail Spanberger ( Va. ) , Antonio Delgado ( N.Y. ) , Max Rose ( N.Y. ) , and Jared Golden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have maxed out to all of those campaigns .
Courier has come under scrutiny in recent months as Facebook seeks to differentiate news outlets from `` political persuasion '' operations , Courier chief among them .
But while a new Facebook policy will exclude Courier articles from Facebook ’ s newsfeed and require a disclaimer on the ads noting they are paid for by Courier , the group is not required to disclose that it is a Democratic political operation .
Anna Massoglia , a dark money researcher at the Center for Responsive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fake news '' outlets including Courier , said Facebook ’ s disclosure remains confusing for precisely the voters Courier is targeting .
`` There is little to alert the average user that these state-focused outlets are connected to a dark money operation with a political agenda that may color articles they publish , '' Massoglia told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` Readers may be unaware they are n't actually homegrown state or local news outlets but are actually part of a bigger network tied to a dark money operation funded by anonymous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have moved between ACRONYM , Facebook , and Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign , including Chris Cox , a onetime ACRONYM adviser who now serves as Facebook ’ s chief product officer ; David Plouffe , a senior adviser to both ACRONYM and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg ’ s philanthropy ; and Jeff Zients , a former Facebook board member and current Biden adviser .
Nearly all of the politicians aided by Courier are locked into competitive races , and the outlet operates by pushing its articles in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are targeted at voters in each politician 's district , making it an attractive avenue for donors looking to sway voters .
The operation is beginning to attract the attention of local reporters , too .
Maine 's Sun Journal reported earlier this month on Courier 's efforts to boost Democratic Rep. Jared Golden , writing , `` A fake online newspaper that aims to elect Democrats to Congress has spent at least $ 50,000 this year on social media advertising that promoted its stories touting U.S. Rep. Jared Golden , a Lewiston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district he narrowly won two years ago . ''
ACRONYM made national headlines during the Democrats ' Iowa caucus : It was the primary investor in the firm that produced a flawed vote-tallying application that made it impossible for the party to determine a winner .
ACRONYM president Tara McGowan initially attempted to distance ACRONYM from the firm and Plouffe , in an MSNBC appearance , denied any knowled ge of the connection between the two groups .
McGowan lashed out at Facebook after it announced it would remove Courier 's stories from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing misinformation farms including Daily Caller + Breitbart News as verified news publishers + verified FACT CHECKERS on their platform yet wrote a policy to restrict progressive Courier Newsroom from spreading truth .
The double standard is unapologetic , '' she wrote on Twitter .
The Daily Caller and Breitbart , however , are not linked to political organizations .
ACRONYM 's sister group , PACRONYM , is a Democratic super PAC funded by the billionaire George Soros , among others .
PACRONYM pushes millions to another affiliated organization , Lockwood Strategy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Courier has rolled out digital outlets with local reporters in swing states including Arizona , Michigan , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , Virginia , and Wisconsin .
ACRONYM did not respond to a request for comment .

Courier Newsroom is promoting the same candidates as its left-wing donors
Courier Newsroom, a "news" site bankrolled by a major Democratic fundraising network, has undertaken a seven-figure ad campaign to push flattering pieces about vulnerable House Democrats, garnering millions of impressions on social media.
The eye-popping number is evidence of a new frontier in political advertising as political organizations operating under the guise of news outlets push content to impressionable swing-state voters.
The candidates Courier boosts on Facebook overlap substantially with the candidates backed by top Democratic donors Laurene Powell Jobs—the billionaire widow of Apple pioneer Steve Jobs—and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman. The so-called newsroom, by pushing pieces that mirror the candidates' own press releases, provides a complementary outlet for Democrats to pursue their political goals.
Courier Newsroom is funded by the left-wing nonprofit ACRONYM, which counts Jobs and Hoffman among its high-profile donors. While Jobs has denied funding Courier Newsroom, her parallel donations make clear that Courier shares the same political goals as ACRONYM’s billionaire donors.
Jobs, worth an estimated $26.8 billion, has emerged as a top Democratic donor and media titan, investing in news outlets from the Atlantic to Axios and Mother Jones. As a donor to ACRONYM, she has effectively blurred the lines between the two.
This election cycle, Courier has boosted nearly a dozen vulnerable Democratic candidates on Facebook, where its posts have reached millions of users, according to Facebook analytics. Those candidates include Democratic Reps. Lauren Underwood (Ill.), Xochitl Torres Small (N.M.), Andy Kim (N.J.), Abigail Spanberger (Va.), Antonio Delgado (N.Y.), Max Rose (N.Y.), and Jared Golden (Maine). Jobs and Hoffman have maxed out to all of those campaigns.
Courier has come under scrutiny in recent months as Facebook seeks to differentiate news outlets from "political persuasion" operations, Courier chief among them. But while a new Facebook policy will exclude Courier articles from Facebook’s newsfeed and require a disclaimer on the ads noting they are paid for by Courier, the group is not required to disclose that it is a Democratic political operation.
Anna Massoglia, a dark money researcher at the Center for Responsive Politics who has written extensively on "fake news" outlets including Courier, said Facebook’s disclosure remains confusing for precisely the voters Courier is targeting.
"There is little to alert the average user that these state-focused outlets are connected to a dark money operation with a political agenda that may color articles they publish," Massoglia told the Washington Free Beacon. "Readers may be unaware they aren't actually homegrown state or local news outlets but are actually part of a bigger network tied to a dark money operation funded by anonymous donors."
Several Democratic political operatives have moved between ACRONYM, Facebook, and Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, including Chris Cox, a onetime ACRONYM adviser who now serves as Facebook’s chief product officer; David Plouffe, a senior adviser to both ACRONYM and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy; and Jeff Zients, a former Facebook board member and current Biden adviser.
Nearly all of the politicians aided by Courier are locked into competitive races, and the outlet operates by pushing its articles in front of persuadable voters on Facebook. The ads are targeted at voters in each politician's district, making it an attractive avenue for donors looking to sway voters.
The operation is beginning to attract the attention of local reporters, too. Maine's Sun Journal reported earlier this month on Courier's efforts to boost Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, writing, "A fake online newspaper that aims to elect Democrats to Congress has spent at least $50,000 this year on social media advertising that promoted its stories touting U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Lewiston Democrat who is seeking reelection in a district he narrowly won two years ago."
ACRONYM made national headlines during the Democrats' Iowa caucus: It was the primary investor in the firm that produced a flawed vote-tallying application that made it impossible for the party to determine a winner. ACRONYM president Tara McGowan initially attempted to distance ACRONYM from the firm, and Plouffe, in an MSNBC appearance, denied any knowled ge of the connection between the two groups.
McGowan lashed out at Facebook after it announced it would remove Courier's stories from its news feed. "Facebook classifies right-wing misinformation farms including Daily Caller + Breitbart News as verified news publishers + verified FACT CHECKERS on their platform yet wrote a policy to restrict progressive Courier Newsroom from spreading truth. The double standard is unapologetic," she wrote on Twitter.
The Daily Caller and Breitbart, however, are not linked to political organizations. ACRONYM's sister group, PACRONYM, is a Democratic super PAC funded by the billionaire George Soros, among others. PACRONYM pushes millions to another affiliated organization, Lockwood Strategy, a private digital firm owned by ACRONYM.
Courier has rolled out digital outlets with local reporters in swing states including Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
ACRONYM did not respond to a request for comment.