freebeacon--2020-02-20--INSTANT ANALYSIS: Is Michael Bloomberg Standing on a Box? (Live Updates)

As the number one source for research on Michael Bloomberg 's long , documented history of standing on boxes to boost his height , the Washington Free Beacon will remain on top of the issue as he makes his first appearance at a Democratic presidential debate .
President Donald J. Trump was the first to expose Bloomberg 's alleged box plot , suggesting that the former mayor , aka `` Mini Mike , '' would attempt to use a box at Wednesday 's debate in Las Vegas .
`` He wants a box for the debates , '' Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Does that mean everyone else gets a box ? ''
While the Bloomberg campaign has publicly denied that the candidate will stand on a box , the former New York City mayor has a history of dissembling on the issue .
He has repeatedly misled the public about his height , providing inconsistent figures on his driver ’ s licenses and in remarks to reporters .
Bloomberg was spotted before the debate scouting out his podium , likely to judge the best position for a box-like object .
Watch this space for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9:00 PM ET ) : Bloomberg steps up to the podium for the first time and does not appear to be using a box .
But a man comes up and adjusts the podium .
The Free Beacon can not confirm whether or not Bloomberg is utilizing some sort of trick podium that can be adjusted after wide shots .
Note : Bloomberg once used a podium where the stepping platform slid out , making it difficult to say for certain he is not standing on a box at any given time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg appears to be significantly taller than Elizabeth Warren , according to the MSNBC feed .
We know from doctor 's notes that Elizabeth Warren is 5-foot-8 , while Michael Bloomberg is 5-foot-7 .
Our first indication Bloomberg is standing on a box ?
UPDATE ( 9:30 PM ET ) : From a different angle , Bloomberg 's height appears to be closer to Warren 's .
Impossible to see whether any box is in use .
Not sure what they 're hiding .
An NBC News spokesman assures the Free Beacon tonight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last debate , for what that 's worth .
UPDATE ( 9:50 PM ET ) : There is officially a box in play on the debate stage .
An MSNBC wide shot shows that Bloomberg is not currently standing on a box .
However , the same shot indicates that Amy Klobuchar is standing on a box .
Given Klobuchar 's terrifying reputation , it 's possible she has temporarily wrested control of the box from Bloomberg .
UPDATE ( 10:35 PM ET ) : Lengthy portion of the debate with no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting that earlier today on MSNBC , Bloomberg senior adviser Tim O'Brien made numerous references to Bloomberg 's `` platform . ''
What did he mean ?
UPDATE ( 11:00 PM ET ) : Final shots do n't show whether there is or is n't a box .
The official ruling from the Free Beacon on the box claim is inconclusive .
Continue to check back with the Free Beacon as we continue to follow this matter .

As the number one source for research on Michael Bloomberg's long, documented history of standing on boxes to boost his height, the Washington Free Beacon will remain on top of the issue as he makes his first appearance at a Democratic presidential debate.
President Donald J. Trump was the first to expose Bloomberg's alleged box plot, suggesting that the former mayor, aka "Mini Mike," would attempt to use a box at Wednesday's debate in Las Vegas. "He wants a box for the debates," Trump said. "Why should he be entitled? Does that mean everyone else gets a box?"
While the Bloomberg campaign has publicly denied that the candidate will stand on a box, the former New York City mayor has a history of dissembling on the issue. He has repeatedly misled the public about his height, providing inconsistent figures on his driver’s licenses and in remarks to reporters.
Bloomberg was spotted before the debate scouting out his podium, likely to judge the best position for a box-like object.
Watch this space for updates during the debate:
***
UPDATE (9:00 PM ET): Bloomberg steps up to the podium for the first time and does not appear to be using a box. But a man comes up and adjusts the podium. The Free Beacon cannot confirm whether or not Bloomberg is utilizing some sort of trick podium that can be adjusted after wide shots.
Note: Bloomberg once used a podium where the stepping platform slid out, making it difficult to say for certain he is not standing on a box at any given time.
UPDATE (9:10 PM ET): Bloomberg appears to be significantly taller than Elizabeth Warren, according to the MSNBC feed. We know from doctor's notes that Elizabeth Warren is 5-foot-8, while Michael Bloomberg is 5-foot-7. Our first indication Bloomberg is standing on a box?
UPDATE (9:30 PM ET): From a different angle, Bloomberg's height appears to be closer to Warren's. Impossible to see whether any box is in use. Not sure what they're hiding.


freebeacon--2020-02-20--‘What a Stupid Question’: Dem Senator Dismisses Question on Late-Term Abortion

Sen. Doug Jones ( D. , Ala. ) , who has claimed to reflect Alabama values while serving in the Senate , laughed off a question about limiting late-term abortions .
`` What a stupid question , '' Jones said when a tracker asked if he thinks abortion should be prohibited after five months of pregnancy .
`` Should abortion be banned ?
As I said , what a stupid question . ''
Jones said in an interview late last year that he has `` reflected Alabama values '' during his time in the Senate .
Jones also referred to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draconian '' and called pro-life politicians `` extreme '' and `` callous . ''
`` These Republican legislators , who are overwhelmingly men , are so extreme and so callous that they would support a bill that denies a woman a constitutional right that they have had for decades , '' Jones said after the bill 's passage .
Alabama 's female governor , Kay Ivey , signed the bill into law last year .
`` What stupid question have you got for me today ? ''
the video shows Jones asking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones said it is stupid to ask about whether to ban abortion after five months , the tracker responded that Jones has a vote on it next week .
`` Yeah , and I 'll vote on it next week .
Just like I did the last time , '' Jones said .
The Senate will vote on two pro-life bills early next week : Sen. Ben Sasse 's ( R. , Neb . )
`` Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act '' and the `` Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act , '' which would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of three Democrats who voted for the former bill last year , but he voted against the latter bill in 2018 .

Sen. Doug Jones (D., Ala.), who has claimed to reflect Alabama values while serving in the Senate, laughed off a question about limiting late-term abortions.
"What a stupid question," Jones said when a tracker asked if he thinks abortion should be prohibited after five months of pregnancy. "Should abortion be banned? As I said, what a stupid question."
Jones said in an interview late last year that he has "reflected Alabama values" during his time in the Senate.
Jones also referred to a pro-life law in Alabama as "draconian" and called pro-life politicians "extreme" and "callous."
"These Republican legislators, who are overwhelmingly men, are so extreme and so callous that they would support a bill that denies a woman a constitutional right that they have had for decades," Jones said after the bill's passage.
Alabama's female governor, Kay Ivey, signed the bill into law last year.
"What stupid question have you got for me today?" the video shows Jones asking a tracker from America Rising PAC.
When Jones said it is stupid to ask about whether to ban abortion after five months, the tracker responded that Jones has a vote on it next week.
"Yeah, and I'll vote on it next week. Just like I did the last time," Jones said.
The Senate will vote on two pro-life bills early next week: Sen. Ben Sasse's (R., Neb.) "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act" and the "Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act," which would ban abortion after 20 weeks. Jones was one of three Democrats who voted for the former bill last year, but he voted against the latter bill in 2018.


freebeacon--2020-02-19--Virginia Set to Give Parole Eligibility to Juvenile Lifers Like Beltway Sniper

Virginia governor Ralph Northam ( D. ) is poised to sign legislation granting parole eligibility to prisoners who received life sentences as minors , a group which includes D.C. beltway sniper Lee Boyd Malvo .
House Bill 35 , which passed the state senate Monday and is now headed for Northam 's desk , would make individuals who were sentenced to life in prison as minors eligible for parole .
The bill would affect over 700 people currently serving time in Virginia 's state prison , Daniel Horowitz of the Conservative Review reported .
The bill passed the state House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with just one Republican supporting it .
Seven Republicans joined the Senate 's 20 Democrats to pass it in the upper chamber .
Among juvenile lifers in Virginia is Malvo .
In 2002 , at the age of 17 , he served as an accomplice to John Allen Muhammad in a series of deadly sniper attacks that terrorized residents of Maryland , Virginia , and Washington , D.C. , leaving 10 dead .
Muhammad was executed by the state of Virginia in 2009 ; Malvo is currently serving four life sentences .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malvo , it would not actually end his incarceration , as he is also subject to six life sentences in Maryland .
He is also suspected in outstanding cases in Alabama , Arizona , Louisiana , and Washington state .
Malvo is currently challenging his Virginia sentences before the Supreme Court , arguing that they should be struck down under 2012 's Miller v. Alabama , in which the Court found that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for minors violate the Eighth Amendment 's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment .
The abolition of juvenile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major priority of criminal justice reform groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Sentencing Project .
Following several Supreme Court rulings constraining its use , an offender can only be sentenced to JLWOP if he has committed a homicide and is deemed `` permanently incorrigible and incapable of rehabilitation . ''
A bare majority of the Court found the execution of individuals under age 18 unconstitutional in 2004 's Roper v. Simmons , a ruling that then-justice Sandra Day O'Connor said was not justified by `` the objective evidence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's moral proportionality analysis , nor the two in tandem . ''
Horowitz noted that 8 percent of homicide offenders and 16 percent of rape offenders were juveniles , as of 2018 .
Northam 's decision is part of an emerging trend of state executives granting blanket paroles that sweep up conspicuously heinous offenders .
As the Washington Free Beacon reported in January , Pennsylvania lieutenant governor John Fetterman is working to commute the life sentences of more than 1,500 second- and third-degree murderers , arguing that `` if you did n't take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take your life through unending incarceration . ''
Among those on Fetterman 's pardon list is the co-conspirator in the torture and murder of 13-year-old Richezza Williams , who was `` tortured with household items , including a heated clothes hanger , cleaning chemicals , and a turkey baster . ''

Virginia governor Ralph Northam (D.) is poised to sign legislation granting parole eligibility to prisoners who received life sentences as minors, a group which includes D.C. beltway sniper Lee Boyd Malvo.
House Bill 35, which passed the state senate Monday and is now headed for Northam's desk, would make individuals who were sentenced to life in prison as minors eligible for parole. The bill would affect over 700 people currently serving time in Virginia's state prison, Daniel Horowitz of the Conservative Review reported.
The bill passed the state House of Delegates on a near party-line vote, with just one Republican supporting it. Seven Republicans joined the Senate's 20 Democrats to pass it in the upper chamber.
Among juvenile lifers in Virginia is Malvo. In 2002, at the age of 17, he served as an accomplice to John Allen Muhammad in a series of deadly sniper attacks that terrorized residents of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., leaving 10 dead. Muhammad was executed by the state of Virginia in 2009; Malvo is currently serving four life sentences.
Although the bill would implicate offenders like Malvo, it would not actually end his incarceration, as he is also subject to six life sentences in Maryland. He is also suspected in outstanding cases in Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, and Washington state.
Malvo is currently challenging his Virginia sentences before the Supreme Court, arguing that they should be struck down under 2012's Miller v. Alabama, in which the Court found that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for minors violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
The abolition of juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) is a major priority of criminal justice reform groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Sentencing Project. Following several Supreme Court rulings constraining its use, an offender can only be sentenced to JLWOP if he has committed a homicide and is deemed "permanently incorrigible and incapable of rehabilitation." A bare majority of the Court found the execution of individuals under age 18 unconstitutional in 2004's Roper v. Simmons, a ruling that then-justice Sandra Day O'Connor said was not justified by "the objective evidence of contemporary societal values, nor the Court's moral proportionality analysis, nor the two in tandem."
Horowitz noted that 8 percent of homicide offenders and 16 percent of rape offenders were juveniles, as of 2018.
Northam's decision is part of an emerging trend of state executives granting blanket paroles that sweep up conspicuously heinous offenders. As the Washington Free Beacon reported in January, Pennsylvania lieutenant governor John Fetterman is working to commute the life sentences of more than 1,500 second- and third-degree murderers, arguing that "if you didn't take a life, the state shouldn't take your life through unending incarceration." Among those on Fetterman's pardon list is the co-conspirator in the torture and murder of 13-year-old Richezza Williams, who was "tortured with household items, including a heated clothes hanger, cleaning chemicals, and a turkey baster."


freebeacon--2020-02-19--Health Records, Heart Attacks Take Center Stage Ahead of Nevada Debate

Hours before they face off for the first time in Wednesday 's Nevada presidential debate , the campaigns of 78-year-old Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg traded shots about whether the other was healthy enough to be president .
Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) reignited the health debate in a CNN town hall Tuesday by reneging on a promise to release his full medical records .
Sanders promised in September , prior to his heart attack , to release his full medical records .
He called it `` the right thing to do '' and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to know whether the person they 're going to be voting for president is healthy . ''
The Sanders campaign defended the decision not to release his full medical records Wednesday morning , calling it a smear campaign reminiscent of conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama being born in Kenya .
The campaign also turned the attention to Bloomberg , with Sanders press secretary Briahna Joy Gray saying that Bloomberg `` has suffered heart attacks in the past '' and questioning why he is n't facing the same scrutiny .
The Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has suffered a heart attack , let alone more than one .
A doctor 's note released by his campaign in December indicated he had surgery for a blocked artery in 2000 and developed an irregular heartbeat last year .
His campaign flatly denies that he has had a heart attack .
The accusation from the Sanders campaign comes as Bloomberg has cemented himself in the top three in national polls and earned himself a spot on the debate stage for the first time .
Bloomberg 's campaign claimed on Tuesday it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who earned the most votes in the first two primary states and is widely considered the primary 's frontrunner .
Bloomberg entered the race too late to participate in the early primaries , but has put himself into contention after spending a whopping $ 233 million in TV and digital ads .
`` This is such a Trumpy lie from the Sanders camp , which rolls like Trump in many ways , '' O'Brien said .
`` Mike Bloomberg has never had a heart attack .
Bernie Sanders , on the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those are the facts . ''
Gray later acknowledged in a tweet of her own that she `` misspoke '' when claiming Bloomberg suffered a heart attack .
`` I misspoke when I said Bloomberg had a heart attack , '' Gray wrote .
`` Rather , he underwent the same stent procedure as Bernie . ''
Instead of full medical records , Sanders released in December three brief letters from doctors attesting to his `` good health '' and `` mental and physical stamina . ''
Of the other septuagenarian candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a doctor 's note and 70-year-old Elizabeth Warren released a full medical report .
If elected , either Sanders or Bloomberg would be the oldest president ever elected and the only president to serve into his eighties .
Previous candidates who faced questions about their advanced age and health scares provided extensive medical records , including 2008 Republican candidate John McCain , who was 71 years old at the time , and 2016 Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton , who was 69 when she ran .

Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg's campaigns trade shots over which of the 78-year-olds did and did not have a heart attack
Hours before they face off for the first time in Wednesday's Nevada presidential debate, the campaigns of 78-year-old Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg traded shots about whether the other was healthy enough to be president.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) reignited the health debate in a CNN town hall Tuesday by reneging on a promise to release his full medical records. Sanders promised in September, prior to his heart attack, to release his full medical records. He called it "the right thing to do" and said, "the American people have a right to know whether the person they're going to be voting for president is healthy."
The Sanders campaign defended the decision not to release his full medical records Wednesday morning, calling it a smear campaign reminiscent of conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama being born in Kenya. The campaign also turned the attention to Bloomberg, with Sanders press secretary Briahna Joy Gray saying that Bloomberg "has suffered heart attacks in the past" and questioning why he isn't facing the same scrutiny.
The Washington Free Beacon found no evidence that Bloomberg has suffered a heart attack, let alone more than one. A doctor's note released by his campaign in December indicated he had surgery for a blocked artery in 2000 and developed an irregular heartbeat last year. His campaign flatly denies that he has had a heart attack.
The accusation from the Sanders campaign comes as Bloomberg has cemented himself in the top three in national polls and earned himself a spot on the debate stage for the first time. Bloomberg's campaign claimed on Tuesday it was a two-candidate race between him and Sanders, who earned the most votes in the first two primary states and is widely considered the primary's frontrunner. Bloomberg entered the race too late to participate in the early primaries, but has put himself into contention after spending a whopping $233 million in TV and digital ads.
Bloomberg senior adviser Tim O'Brien called the Sanders campaign's claim about heart attacks a "Trumpy lie."
"This is such a Trumpy lie from the Sanders camp, which rolls like Trump in many ways," O'Brien said. "Mike Bloomberg has never had a heart attack. Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, has had a heart attack. Those are the facts."
Gray later acknowledged in a tweet of her own that she "misspoke" when claiming Bloomberg suffered a heart attack.
"I misspoke when I said Bloomberg had a heart attack," Gray wrote. "Rather, he underwent the same stent procedure as Bernie."
Instead of full medical records, Sanders released in December three brief letters from doctors attesting to his "good health" and "mental and physical stamina." Of the other septuagenarian candidates, 77-year-old Joe Biden also only released a doctor's note and 70-year-old Elizabeth Warren released a full medical report.
If elected, either Sanders or Bloomberg would be the oldest president ever elected and the only president to serve into his eighties. Previous candidates who faced questions about their advanced age and health scares provided extensive medical records, including 2008 Republican candidate John McCain, who was 71 years old at the time, and 2016 Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who was 69 when she ran.


freebeacon--2020-02-19--ANALYSIS: Democrats Deserve a Younger, Healthier Frontrunner in 2020

The Democratic primary has rapidly devolved into a bitter squabble between 78-year-old socialist Bernie Sanders and 78-year-old billionaire Michael Bloomberg .
Former vice president and 77-year-old train enthusiast Joe Biden is also technically running .
The self-described `` party of the future '' appears to be doing everything in its power to ensure a second term for President Donald J. Trump .
The most youthful Democrat with a realistic shot at the nomination is Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of Indiana 's fourth-largest city who wo n't shut up about the time he studied abroad in Afghanistan .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa and New Hampshire but is in for a rude awakening once the voting starts in states that are n't dominated by his core demographic of wealthy whites with graduate degrees and West Wing fetishes .
Presumptive frontrunners Sanders and Bloomberg are both considerably older than Trump ( 73 ) , and neither possesses the incumbent 's legendary intellectual and physical stamina .
On Wednesday , the two were arguing about which of them had suffered the more significant heart problems .
Biden , meanwhile , continues to conduct himself like an escaped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station looking for his dog Roscoe .
Surely a better option exists .
Perhaps an experienced politician biding his ( or her ) time on the sidelines .
A candidate who is younger and healthier than the current field of top-tier candidates .
Someone who is relatively impoverished and diverse by comparison .
A dynastic Democrat who has experience not only running for president , but running for president against Donald Trump .
Hillary Clinton , who has yet to officially announce her candidacy for president in 2020 , checks all these boxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She has n't suffered any unexplained fainting spells of late—that we know of—and appears to have gotten her coughing fits under control .
She is a woman , which is nice .
Her net worth , in the $ 50 million range , is relatively modest .
Hillary has already proven she has what it takes to get more votes than Donald Trump .
She is the youngest , healthiest option available to Democrats looking for an alternative to Sanders 's socialism and Bloomberg 's paternalistic racist billionaire-ism .
The time is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?

The Democratic primary has rapidly devolved into a bitter squabble between 78-year-old socialist Bernie Sanders and 78-year-old billionaire Michael Bloomberg. Former vice president and 77-year-old train enthusiast Joe Biden is also technically running. The self-described "party of the future" appears to be doing everything in its power to ensure a second term for President Donald J. Trump.
The most youthful Democrat with a realistic shot at the nomination is Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of Indiana's fourth-largest city who won't shut up about the time he studied abroad in Afghanistan. He's riding high after strong finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire but is in for a rude awakening once the voting starts in states that aren't dominated by his core demographic of wealthy whites with graduate degrees and West Wing fetishes.
Presumptive frontrunners Sanders and Bloomberg are both considerably older than Trump (73), and neither possesses the incumbent's legendary intellectual and physical stamina. On Wednesday, the two were arguing about which of them had suffered the more significant heart problems. Biden, meanwhile, continues to conduct himself like an escaped nursing home resident wandering around a bus station looking for his dog Roscoe.
Surely a better option exists. Perhaps an experienced politician biding his (or her) time on the sidelines. A candidate who is younger and healthier than the current field of top-tier candidates. Someone who is relatively impoverished and diverse by comparison. A dynastic Democrat who has experience not only running for president, but running for president against Donald Trump.
Hillary Clinton, who has yet to officially announce her candidacy for president in 2020, checks all these boxes. She is only 72 years old. She hasn't suffered any unexplained fainting spells of late—that we know of—and appears to have gotten her coughing fits under control. She is a woman, which is nice. Her net worth, in the $50 million range, is relatively modest.
Hillary has already proven she has what it takes to get more votes than Donald Trump. She is the youngest, healthiest option available to Democrats looking for an alternative to Sanders's socialism and Bloomberg's paternalistic racist billionaire-ism. The time is now. What is she waiting for?


freebeacon--2020-02-19--AOC Blames ‘Internet Culture’ for Bernie Bros’ Harassment

`` I think internet culture can often be very toxic , '' Ocasio-Cortez said during an interview on ABC 's The View .
`` I think that to a certain extent we have to always reject hate , reject vitriol , and denounce that kind of behavior… .
We also know the amount of anonymous activity that happens on the internet and that simply is difficult—it is difficult to control .
When you have like a Twitter handle with a bunch of numbers on it with two followers that are lobbing vitriol at you , we do n't know where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cohost Meghan McCain had asked Ocasio-Cortez how she felt about supporting a candidate who is tied to such vicious online attacks .
`` It is by far , of anything I have done in my entire life , the most violent , most misogynistic , the most sexist , the most harmful—my mother has cried over doctored photos Bernie bros have sent me , '' McCain said .
`` And I ’ m just one story .
He has a real problem and I do n't think he 's doing enough to tamper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he 's attached to this deeply misogynistic and , I would go so far as to say , violent sector of people ? ''
When McCain asked whether Ocasio-Cortez thought Sanders has done enough to try and stop the online abuse , the freshman congresswoman said the Sanders campaign sends out messaging emails calling for good behavior .
`` Yeah , I think he works very hard , '' Ocasio-Cortez said .
`` We send out messaging emails and you know what , I 've been subject to a lot of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the internet . ''
`` He 's got to do more , '' cohost Whoopi Goldberg told Ocasio-Cortez .
`` He 's got to stand up and say it every day if he needs to : ‘ Stop this , we 're not accepting it .
It 's not good for us . '
'' Criticism of Sanders 's supporters has become a main line of attack in the lead-up to the Nevada debate Wednesday night .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
has argued Sanders is responsible for controlling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexism failed to halt his success at the polls .

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) on Wednesday attributed Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I., Vt.) supporters' online attacks to toxic internet culture.
"I think internet culture can often be very toxic," Ocasio-Cortez said during an interview on ABC's The View. "I think that to a certain extent we have to always reject hate, reject vitriol, and denounce that kind of behavior.... We also know the amount of anonymous activity that happens on the internet and that simply is difficult—it is difficult to control. When you have like a Twitter handle with a bunch of numbers on it with two followers that are lobbing vitriol at you, we don't know where that comes from."
The View cohost Meghan McCain had asked Ocasio-Cortez how she felt about supporting a candidate who is tied to such vicious online attacks.
"It is by far, of anything I have done in my entire life, the most violent, most misogynistic, the most sexist, the most harmful—my mother has cried over doctored photos Bernie bros have sent me," McCain said. "And I’m just one story. He has a real problem and I don't think he's doing enough to tamper it down…. How do you feel that he's attached to this deeply misogynistic and, I would go so far as to say, violent sector of people?"
When McCain asked whether Ocasio-Cortez thought Sanders has done enough to try and stop the online abuse, the freshman congresswoman said the Sanders campaign sends out messaging emails calling for good behavior.
"Yeah, I think he works very hard," Ocasio-Cortez said. "We send out messaging emails and you know what, I've been subject to a lot of this stuff from all sorts of pockets from the internet."
"He's got to do more," cohost Whoopi Goldberg told Ocasio-Cortez. "He's got to stand up and say it every day if he needs to: 'Stop this, we're not accepting it. It's not good for us.'"
Criticism of Sanders's supporters has become a main line of attack in the lead-up to the Nevada debate Wednesday night. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) has argued Sanders is responsible for controlling his supporters' behavior after her accusation of sexism failed to halt his success at the polls.


freebeacon--2020-02-19--Castro: Running Against Bloomberg Is Trump’s ‘Wet Dream’

Former Democratic candidate Julián Castro said Tuesday that Michael Bloomberg winning the nomination would be a `` wet dream '' for President Donald Trump .
`` There are a lot of people out there that think maybe the best thing that we can do is nominate a billionaire like Bloomberg because he has the resources , '' Castro said on MSNBC .
`` I actually think if you look at his record on race , on Wall Street , all of these sexual harassment complaints … he actually is Donald Trump 's wet dream . ''
Castro , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mass . )
, said the former New York City mayor was the closest thing Democrats had to Trump .
He criticized Bloomberg 's past defense of stop-and-frisk policies and highlighted Warren 's criticism of Wall Street .
`` Donald Trump wants to run against the guy that has all of this baggage on exactly the issues where Trump can suppress the vote like he did in Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania , so that he shaves away at the margins and is able to regain his Electoral College victory . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage for the first time Wednesday in Las Vegas .
Though he is n't on the ballot in the first four states of the primary season , his candidacy has emerged as a significant force in the race , steadily rising in the polls and spending hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising .
Warren referred to Bloomberg Tuesday as an `` egomaniac billionaire '' who was aiming to `` buy his way into the debate . ''
Last week , Warren said Bloomberg should n't be the nominee because he said ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Former Democratic candidate Julián Castro said Tuesday that Michael Bloomberg winning the nomination would be a "wet dream" for President Donald Trump.
"There are a lot of people out there that think maybe the best thing that we can do is nominate a billionaire like Bloomberg because he has the resources," Castro said on MSNBC. "I actually think if you look at his record on race, on Wall Street, all of these sexual harassment complaints ... he actually is Donald Trump's wet dream."
Castro, who has endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), said the former New York City mayor was the closest thing Democrats had to Trump. He criticized Bloomberg's past defense of stop-and-frisk policies and highlighted Warren's criticism of Wall Street.
"Donald Trump wants to run against the guy that has all of this baggage on exactly the issues where Trump can suppress the vote like he did in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, so that he shaves away at the margins and is able to regain his Electoral College victory."
Bloomberg will appear on a Democratic debate stage for the first time Wednesday in Las Vegas. Though he isn't on the ballot in the first four states of the primary season, his candidacy has emerged as a significant force in the race, steadily rising in the polls and spending hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising.
Warren referred to Bloomberg Tuesday as an "egomaniac billionaire" who was aiming to "buy his way into the debate."
Last week, Warren said Bloomberg shouldn't be the nominee because he said ending redlining helped cause the 2008 financial crisis.


freebeacon--2020-02-20--Sanders Campaign Co-Chair Attempts to Deflect Question on Socialism by Quoting Shakespeare

Nina Turner , the national co-chair of Sen. Bernie Sanders 's ( I. , Vt. ) presidential campaign , quoted Shakespeare Thursday when asked about socialism 's unpopularity with voters .
`` You know , Shakespeare once said , ‘ What 's in a name ?
A rose by any other name smells just as sweet , '' Turner said , paraphrasing from Romeo and Juliet .
`` What is democratic socialism ?
It is government of the people , by the people , and for the people . ''
`` I appreciate Shakespeare just as much as you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I want an answer on the fact that the majority of America is not comfortable with a socialist president . ''
Baldwin cited a poll that found two-thirds of respondents said they were uncomfortable with a president who is a socialist .
Turner said Sanders , however , identifies as a `` democratic socialist , '' and she touted some of his signature policies such as Medicare for All .
Baldwin pressed her about pivoting away from the question on socialism 's unpopularity , but Turner said questions about socialism were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` demonize '' the word .
`` If you just bandy that word about without an explanation , and try to demonize it , which the elites are doing , then you get that in that poll , '' Turner said .
`` People can swing polls any way they decide to swing those , and you and I both know that . ''
Baldwin asked if Sanders should use a different word besides socialist .
Turner said Sanders should not .
`` For all of the people trying to make hay over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking about socialism in a traditional sense , in terms of what happens in Europe .
He never once said the government should take over the production of all goods and services in the country .
The only thing he 's saying is that there are millions of people in this country who are suffering , '' Turner said .

Nina Turner, the national co-chair of Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) presidential campaign, quoted Shakespeare Thursday when asked about socialism's unpopularity with voters.
"You know, Shakespeare once said, 'What's in a name? A rose by any other name smells just as sweet," Turner said, paraphrasing from Romeo and Juliet. "What is democratic socialism? It is government of the people, by the people, and for the people."
"I appreciate Shakespeare just as much as you do," responded CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin. "I want an answer on the fact that the majority of America is not comfortable with a socialist president."
Baldwin cited a poll that found two-thirds of respondents said they were uncomfortable with a president who is a socialist. Turner said Sanders, however, identifies as a "democratic socialist," and she touted some of his signature policies such as Medicare for All. Baldwin pressed her about pivoting away from the question on socialism's unpopularity, but Turner said questions about socialism were an attempt by "elites" to "demonize" the word.
"If you just bandy that word about without an explanation, and try to demonize it, which the elites are doing, then you get that in that poll," Turner said. "People can swing polls any way they decide to swing those, and you and I both know that."
Baldwin asked if Sanders should use a different word besides socialist. Turner said Sanders should not.
"For all of the people trying to make hay over the word, Senator Sanders is not talking about socialism in a traditional sense, in terms of what happens in Europe. He never once said the government should take over the production of all goods and services in the country. The only thing he's saying is that there are millions of people in this country who are suffering," Turner said.


freebeacon--2020-02-20--Biden Praises Bloomberg’s Gun-Control Group at Campaign Rally

Former vice president Joe Biden touted a gun-control group funded by his Democratic primary rival Michael Bloomberg during a campaign rally in Nevada .
Biden delivered a speech on Thursday discussing his record supporting strict gun control with at least 10 people wearing `` Moms Demand Action '' shirts and caps standing behind him .
The organization Moms Demand Action has been a significant beneficiary of Bloomberg 's $ 270 million decade-long effort to institute new gun bans and other gun-control measures nationwide .
The group merged with Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety after the billionaire promised its leadership an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the New York Times .
`` I 've passed meaningful gun legislation at the national level and I 'll do it again , '' Biden said at the event .
`` But it wo n't just be because I 'll do it .
It 's because moms against gun violence are now mobilized . ''
Biden did not attack or even mention Bloomberg during the event .
Instead , he criticized the mixed record of frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) .
Biden decried Sanders 's vote against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's vote to protect gun makers and dealers against frivolous lawsuits as `` flat out immoral . ''
Biden made similar criticisms of Sanders during a debate in early February .
Biden 's embrace of activists from one of Bloomberg 's most visible political projects demonstrates the awkward position many of the Democratic candidates find themselves in as they run against one of the party 's top donors .
Other candidates have attacked Bloomberg 's candidacy without ruling out accepting his financial help to win the general election .
During Wednesday 's debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg of trying to `` buy this election . ''
However , Buttigieg also said he welcomed the billionaire 's spending in the general election—which could reach into the hundreds of millions—so long as Bloomberg was n't the Democrats ' nominee .
`` I think he should absolutely be doing everything in his power to defeat Donald Trump , '' Buttigieg said .
`` I just do n't think that has to result in him becoming the president of the United States.
`` Activists in Bloomberg 's own network of political groups have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidacy .
Shortly after Bloomberg launched his campaign , Buzzfeed News found none of the top Moms Demand Action volunteers supported him .
Bloomberg is the organization 's top funder .
`` I 'm not super psyched about it , but I respect him enormously , '' Jessica Craven , the legislative lead for a Moms Demand Action group in California , told Buzzfeed .
`` I do n't think we need more candidates—more white male candidates . ''
`` If he really wanted to support the Democratic race , throw that money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minded , '' Rhonda Hart , a Moms Demand Action volunteer and Everytown Survivor Fellow , told Buzzfeed .
Moms Demand Action , the Biden campaign , and the Bloomberg campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

Former vice president Joe Biden touted a gun-control group funded by his Democratic primary rival Michael Bloomberg during a campaign rally in Nevada.
Biden delivered a speech on Thursday discussing his record supporting strict gun control with at least 10 people wearing "Moms Demand Action" shirts and caps standing behind him. The organization Moms Demand Action has been a significant beneficiary of Bloomberg's $270 million decade-long effort to institute new gun bans and other gun-control measures nationwide. The group merged with Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety after the billionaire promised its leadership an infusion of $50 million, according to the New York Times.
"I've passed meaningful gun legislation at the national level and I'll do it again," Biden said at the event. "But it won't just be because I'll do it. It's because moms against gun violence are now mobilized."
Biden did not attack or even mention Bloomberg during the event. Instead, he criticized the mixed record of frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.). Biden decried Sanders's vote against the gun background check system and described Sanders's vote to protect gun makers and dealers against frivolous lawsuits as "flat out immoral." Biden made similar criticisms of Sanders during a debate in early February.
Biden's embrace of activists from one of Bloomberg's most visible political projects demonstrates the awkward position many of the Democratic candidates find themselves in as they run against one of the party's top donors. Other candidates have attacked Bloomberg's candidacy without ruling out accepting financial help from the former mayor to win the general election.
During Wednesday's debate in Las Vegas, Pete Buttigieg accused Bloomberg of trying to "buy this election." However, Buttigieg also said he welcomed the billionaire's spending in the general election—which could reach into the hundreds of millions—so long as Bloomberg wasn't the Democrats' nominee.
"I think he should absolutely be doing everything in his power to defeat Donald Trump," Buttigieg said. "I just don't think that has to result in him becoming the president of the United States."
Activists in Bloomberg's own network of political groups have made similar statements about the billionaire's candidacy. Shortly after Bloomberg launched his campaign, Buzzfeed News found none of the top Moms Demand Action volunteers supported him. Bloomberg is the organization's top funder.
"I'm not super psyched about it, but I respect him enormously," Jessica Craven, the legislative lead for a Moms Demand Action group in California, told Buzzfeed. "I don't think we need more candidates—more white male candidates."
"If he really wanted to support the Democratic race, throw that money at a candidate that is gun sense minded," Rhonda Hart, a Moms Demand Action volunteer and Everytown Survivor Fellow, told Buzzfeed.
Moms Demand Action, the Biden campaign, and the Bloomberg campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-02-20--Bloomberg Adviser: Mike Wasn’t Ready for Debate Knockout

Michael Bloomberg 's campaign senior adviser Geoffrey Canada said Thursday the former New York City mayor was unprepared for his fellow candidates ' attempts to `` knock him out '' in his first debate .
In an appearance on CNN 's Right Now , Canada discussed Bloomberg 's Wednesday night debate performance with host Brianna Keilar .
He said the `` sparring partners '' Bloomberg used to prepare for the debate only made him overconfident and vulnerable , adding that the candidate `` was n't ready . ''
`` You get in that ring and suddenly you realize that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight , '' Canada said .
`` Mike went into that ring last night , and they tried to knock him out .
He was n't ready for it . ''
Canada promised that Bloomberg would return ready for the next debate .
`` This is not a real surprise to me that Mike struggled , '' Canada said .
`` You know , when you have been off the debate field for a long time , it 's a little bit like a boxer who is training for a fight after not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's fellow Democratic candidates unleashed an onslaught on the 78-year-old billionaire last night , accusing the former New York City mayor of sexism .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
set the tone .
She opened the debate by saying , `` I 'd like to talk about who we 're running against , a billionaire who calls women ‘ fat broads ' and ‘ horse-faced lesbians . '
And no , I 'm not talking about Donald Trump .
I 'm talking about Mayor Bloomberg . ''
The crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to accusations of sexual harassment at his company by saying , `` Maybe they didn ’ t like a joke I told . ''
Bloomberg was quick to laugh off his debate performance at a rally Thursday morning in Salt Lake City .
He greeted the crowd saying , `` So , how was your night last night ? ''

Michael Bloomberg's campaign senior adviser Geoffrey Canada said Thursday the former New York City mayor was unprepared for his fellow candidates' attempts to "knock him out" in his first debate.
In an appearance on CNN's Right Now, Canada discussed Bloomberg's Wednesday night debate performance with host Brianna Keilar. He said the "sparring partners" Bloomberg used to prepare for the debate only made him overconfident and vulnerable, adding that the candidate "wasn't ready."
"You get in that ring and suddenly you realize that was not a real preparation for the real fight," Canada said. "Mike went into that ring last night, and they tried to knock him out. He wasn't ready for it."
Canada promised that Bloomberg would return ready for the next debate.
"This is not a real surprise to me that Mike struggled," Canada said. "You know, when you have been off the debate field for a long time, it's a little bit like a boxer who is training for a fight after not fighting for 10 years."
Bloomberg's fellow Democratic candidates unleashed an onslaught on the 78-year-old billionaire last night, accusing the former New York City mayor of sexism.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) set the tone. She opened the debate by saying, "I'd like to talk about who we're running against, a billionaire who calls women 'fat broads' and 'horse-faced lesbians.' And no, I'm not talking about Donald Trump. I'm talking about Mayor Bloomberg."
The crowd loudly booed Bloomberg later on when he responded to accusations of sexual harassment at his company by saying, "Maybe they didn’t like a joke I told."
Bloomberg was quick to laugh off his debate performance at a rally Thursday morning in Salt Lake City. He greeted the crowd saying, "So, how was your night last night?"


freebeacon--2020-02-20--Media Scramble to Fact Check Whether There Were Actual Crickets on Debate Stage

Media figures rushed to fact check a humorous , clearly edited video released by Michael Bloomberg 's campaign on Thursday , with one CNN reporter comparing it to a so-called deepfake .
In the video , Bloomberg 's question at Wednesday 's Democratic debate about whether any other candidates had started their own business is met with 20 seconds of blank stares , complete with cricket noises , the classic sound effect during an awkward silence .
In reality , the silence lasted a beat before Bloomberg moved on .
This drew the attention of reporters like CNN 's Dana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his campaign tweeted this morning that did n't happen .
It is a deceptively edited video , '' Bash said , before playing the clip .
While she acknowledged the campaign had pointed out it was meant to be humorous , she said it 's an era where `` we are so concerned about things that are doctored , deepfakes on the internet . ''
`` Deepfakes '' refer to a form of media where an existing image or video is replaced with another person 's face or voice .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he 's making seriously when he does something like this , '' Bash said of Bloomberg .
New York Times reporter Azi Paybarah compared it to a similarly criticized video put out by President Donald Trump 's campaign after the State of the Union , where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) was depicted tearing up his speech during its more poignant moments .
Pelosi did rip up the speech , but only after Trump concluded .
Business Insider wrote Bloomberg 's video was `` incredibly misleading , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it `` doctored . ''
NBC News fact checked the video , with reporter Maura Barrett calling it `` manipulated . ''
A campaign spokesman was eventually forced to release a statement that `` there were obviously no crickets on the debate stage . ''
The media 's relationship with edited videos is complicated .
While ones like Trump sharing a montage of Pelosi tripping over her words at a press conference were met with condemnation , celebrated journalist Katie Couric suffered no professional consequences when her 2016 documentary edited in nine seconds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look dumbstruck by one of her questions .

Media figures rushed to fact check a humorous, clearly edited video released by Michael Bloomberg's campaign on Thursday, with one CNN reporter comparing it to a so-called deepfake.
In the video, Bloomberg's question at Wednesday's Democratic debate about whether any other candidates had started their own business is met with 20 seconds of blank stares, complete with cricket noises, the classic sound effect during an awkward silence. In reality, the silence lasted a beat before Bloomberg moved on.
This drew the attention of reporters like CNN's Dana Bash.
"There is a video that his campaign tweeted this morning that didn't happen. It is a deceptively edited video," Bash said, before playing the clip.
While she acknowledged the campaign had pointed out it was meant to be humorous, she said it's an era where "we are so concerned about things that are doctored, deepfakes on the internet."
"Deepfakes" refer to a form of media where an existing image or video is replaced with another person's face or voice.
"It makes it harder to take the arguments that he's making seriously when he does something like this," Bash said of Bloomberg.
New York Times reporter Azi Paybarah compared it to a similarly criticized video put out by President Donald Trump's campaign after the State of the Union, where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) was depicted tearing up his speech during its more poignant moments. Pelosi did rip up the speech, but only after Trump concluded.
Business Insider wrote Bloomberg's video was "incredibly misleading," and liberal outlet Talking Points Memo called it "doctored." NBC News fact checked the video, with reporter Maura Barrett calling it "manipulated."
A campaign spokesman was eventually forced to release a statement that "there were obviously no crickets on the debate stage."
This video from the Bloomberg campaign has been manipulated to show a long pause & cricket sounds when Bloomberg asks if other candidates have started a business. Campaign spox tells NBC News, "It's tongue in cheek. There were obviously no crickets on the debate stage." https://t.co/C970p43kMj — Maura Barrett (@MauraBarrettNBC) February 20, 2020
The media's relationship with edited videos is complicated. While ones like Trump sharing a montage of Pelosi tripping over her words at a press conference were met with condemnation, celebrated journalist Katie Couric suffered no professional consequences when her 2016 documentary edited in nine seconds of silence to make gun-rights supporters look dumbstruck by one of her questions.
The outraged coverage of Bloomberg's video continued on Friday.
NBC News "dystopia beat" reporter Ben Collins told MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle that "without the crickets," people could take such a clip seriously.
"That's how disinformation sort of steamrolls, and if nobody is going to stop it, it could change narratives," he said. "It [missing word here--could?] change the outcome of an election. We've been there before."
NBC’s Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) on Bloomberg’s 'doctored video": Twitter’s new policy flagging 'disinformation" will include videos like this. "If nobody will stop [disinfo], it can change narratives or change the outcome of the election." pic.twitter.com/4aINQNjWxH — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 21, 2020
The Washington Post Fact-Checker gave the ad "Four Pinocchios," its harshest rating for a political lie. It said it was taking a "tough line on manipulated campaign videos."
"Political ads can be fun and entertaining, but they shouldn’t be misleading," the Post wrote. "Anyone who had not seen the debate could have been easily misled into thinking the other candidates stood there in stunned silence for nearly half a minute."
In a 1,159-word explainer, Vox conceded "stretching the truth is a normal practice in politics" but said Democrats have to be wary about what is released in their name in an era of disinformation.
Emerson Brooking, "a disinformation expert" at the Atlantic Council, told Vox the ad was "deceptive and misleading." He scolded the Bloomberg team for not adding a disclosure it was produced by his campaign, although the video being shared was tweeted from Bloomberg's official account.
UPDATED: Feb. 21, 2:15 p.m.: This post has been updated with further information.


freebeacon--2020-02-20--In About-Face, Warren Welcomes Super PAC Help She Once Shunned

Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
is now open to receiving help from super PACs—political committees that can raise and spend unlimited sums of money—after repeatedly decrying their influence in politics .
The Persist PAC was formed on Tuesday to provide a boost to the Warren campaign and will begin running ads ahead of Saturday 's Nevada caucus .
The Massachusetts senator previously promised not to accept assistance from super PACs and to `` disavow '' any super PAC formed in her name .
When questioned on the new super PAC Thursday , Warren defended the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to get rid of super PACs , count me in , '' Warren told reporters in Nevada .
`` I 'll lead the charge .
But that 's how it has to be .
It ca n't be the case that a bunch of people keep them and only one or two do n't . ''
Warren 's campaign told Axios yesterday , after the super PAC 's existence was first reported , that `` Senator Warren 's position has n't changed . ''
`` Since day one of this campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the candidates should lock arms together and say we don ’ t want super PACs and billionaires to be deciding our Democratic nominee , '' the campaign said .
Warren has for years attacked massive spending in politics .
The Massachusetts senator boasted during the Feb. 7 debate that she and fellow Democratic presidential contender Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) were the only two candidates in the field not receiving help from super PACs .
A new super PAC formed to boost Klobuchar 's candidacy last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conversations PAC was launched to run ads in Nevada and South Carolina introducing the Minnesota senator to voters .
Richard Carlbom , the PAC 's spokesman , told the Washington Free Beacon the group had already received enough money to place a seven-figure digital and TV ad buy .

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) is now open to receiving help from super PACs—political committees that can raise and spend unlimited sums of money—after repeatedly decrying their influence in politics.
The Persist PAC was formed on Tuesday to provide a boost to the Warren campaign and will begin running ads ahead of Saturday's Nevada caucus. The Massachusetts senator previously promised not to accept assistance from super PACs and to "disavow" any super PAC formed in her name.
When questioned on the new super PAC Thursday, Warren defended the new committee.
"If all the candidates want to get rid of super PACs, count me in," Warren told reporters in Nevada. "I'll lead the charge. But that's how it has to be. It can't be the case that a bunch of people keep them and only one or two don't."
Warren's campaign told Axios yesterday, after the super PAC's existence was first reported, that "Senator Warren's position hasn't changed."
"Since day one of this campaign, she has made clear that she thinks all of the candidates should lock arms together and say we don’t want super PACs and billionaires to be deciding our Democratic nominee," the campaign said.
Warren has for years attacked massive spending in politics. The Massachusetts senator boasted during the Feb. 7 debate that she and fellow Democratic presidential contender Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) were the only two candidates in the field not receiving help from super PACs.
A new super PAC formed to boost Klobuchar's candidacy last week. On Feb. 14, the Kitchen Table Conversations PAC was launched to run ads in Nevada and South Carolina introducing the Minnesota senator to voters. Richard Carlbom, the PAC's spokesman, told the Washington Free Beacon the group had already received enough money to place a seven-figure digital and TV ad buy.


freebeacon--2020-02-20--Sanders Criminal Justice Adviser Caught Plotting Violent Jailbreak

A former adviser on criminal justice issues to Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) was plotting a violent prison escape , stashing guns and ammunition inside a soon-to-be-opened prison , authorities said this week .
Nashville police said Wednesday that Alex Friedmann , a prison reform advocate who helped shape the Vermont senator 's criminal justice agenda , spent months plotting an escape for inmates of the city 's detention center .
Sanders worked with Friedmann to develop positions on criminal justice in the lead up to his 2016 presidential campaign—positions Sanders still touts .
Davidson County sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday , said Friedmann hid at least three loaded guns upon breaking into the detention center in December .
The break-in was part of `` an extremely deliberate and , in my opinion , evil plan '' Friedmann developed `` over many months , '' Hall said .
`` What disturbed me most is not that this was about an escape , it was also about loss of life , '' Hall added .
`` Mr. Friedmann , a convicted felon and self-described criminal justice advocate , planted loaded guns with additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friedmann , while managing editor at Prison Legal News and associate director at the Human Rights Defense Center ( HRDC ) , helped Sanders go beyond his usual focus on economic issues in 2015 .
Acting as a consultant for the senator 's office , Friedmann called for Sanders to adopt progressive criminal justice positions such as the abolition of private prisons .
Sanders 's current presidential campaign promises to ban private prisons .
HRDC 's 2015 annual report detailed the organization 's role in getting the Vermont senator to become more aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Senator Bernie Sanders 's office consulted with several criminal justice organizations , including HRDC , for a bill he planned to introduce related to the private prison industry , '' the report stated .
`` Alex Friedmann participated in multiple conference calls with the senator 's staff and suggested the name that was eventually used for the bill , the ‘ Justice is Not for Sale Act , ' '' which aimed to ban private prisons .
Friedmann was arrested last month after he posed as a construction worker , entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could open 100 doors , and made a diagram of the jail 's layout .
He attempted to eat the diagram during his arrest .
The facility delayed its opening until April to replace all of the locks .
It has now pushed its opening back even further to ensure personnel can do their jobs in a safe and secure environment .
The activist is currently being held on $ 2.5 million bond at the Tennessee Department of Corrections .
Friedmann was previously arrested in 1987 for armed robbery and assault with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he was convicted of attempted aggravated robbery and spent 10 years in prison .
Friedmann began to battle for prison reform after being paroled in 1999 .
Sanders 's office did not respond to a request for comment by press time .

A former adviser on criminal justice issues to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) was plotting a violent prison escape, stashing guns and ammunition inside a soon-to-be-opened prison, authorities said this week.
Nashville police said Wednesday that Alex Friedmann, a prison reform advocate who helped shape the Vermont senator's criminal justice agenda, spent months plotting an escape for inmates of the city's detention center. Sanders worked with Friedmann to develop positions on criminal justice in the lead up to his 2016 presidential campaign—positions Sanders still touts.
Davidson County sheriff Daron Hall, at a press conference on Wednesday, said Friedmann hid at least three loaded guns upon breaking into the detention center in December. The break-in was part of "an extremely deliberate and, in my opinion, evil plan" Friedmann developed "over many months," Hall said.
"What disturbed me most is not that this was about an escape, it was also about loss of life," Hall added. "Mr. Friedmann, a convicted felon and self-described criminal justice advocate, planted loaded guns with additional ammunition inside the detention center."
Friedmann, while managing editor at Prison Legal News and associate director at the Human Rights Defense Center (HRDC), helped Sanders go beyond his usual focus on economic issues in 2015. Acting as a consultant for the senator's office, Friedmann called for Sanders to adopt progressive criminal justice positions such as the abolition of private prisons. Sanders's current presidential campaign promises to ban private prisons.
HRDC's 2015 annual report detailed the organization's role in getting the Vermont senator to become more aggressive on the issue.
"Staff at U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders's office consulted with several criminal justice organizations, including HRDC, for a bill he planned to introduce related to the private prison industry," the report stated. "Alex Friedmann participated in multiple conference calls with the senator's staff and suggested the name that was eventually used for the bill, the ‘Justice is Not for Sale Act,'" which aimed to ban private prisons.
Friedmann was arrested last month after he posed as a construction worker, entered the Nashville detention center, stole keys that could open 100 doors, and made a diagram of the jail's layout. He attempted to eat the diagram during his arrest. The facility delayed its opening until April to replace all of the locks. It has now pushed its opening back even further to ensure personnel can do their jobs in a safe and secure environment.
The activist is currently being held on $2.5 million bond at the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
Friedmann was previously arrested in 1987 for armed robbery and assault with attempt to commit murder. In 1991, he was convicted of attempted aggravated robbery and spent 10 years in prison. Friedmann began to battle for prison reform after being paroled in 1999.
Sanders's office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.


freebeacon--2020-02-20--U.S. Aggressively Monitoring Potential Iranian Attacks From Saudi Air Base

PRINCE SULTAN AIR BASE , Saudi Arabia—The United States is aggressively monitoring Iranian missile threats across the Middle East in close coordination with its Saudi Arabian allies , according to U.S. military officials who briefed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a Thursday visit to the country 's Prince Sultan Air Base .
More than 2,500 American forces entered the base in early January and quickly established a fleet of advanced F-15 tactical fighter jets to help the Saudis defend their country from increasingly severe Iranian missile strikes , according to the U.S. military officials who also briefed a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
In addition to the fighter aircraft , the United States installed a set of Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to fend off potential Iranian strikes like the one in September 2019 on Saudi Arabia 's state-owned Aramco oil fields .
That attack stirred the region and saw the Trump administration deploy thousands of troops to the Gulf country .
Pompeo , in an afternoon visit to the base , met with American military personnel and received classified briefings about the ongoing threat posed by Iran and its regional terror proxies .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabia since the late September salvo , the United States ' continued presence in the region is a sign of how pressing and immediate the threat continues to be , Pompeo said in response to questions from the Washington Free Beacon .
`` The fact that we ’ re here today , the fact that so many young American men and women are here and in other facilities not only here in Saudi Arabia , but in Iraq , indeed in Qatar … I think demonstrates that the demand for deterrence remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need only look at the ayatollah ’ s Twitter feed to know that these are people who have a deep disdain for the very fundamental ideas that we hold so dear in the United States of America and their desire to wipe the state of Israel off the map and to do harm to the United States of America remains and our aim is to change that behavior from the regime . ''
A crucial part of the United States ' plan for deterrence played out last month when President Donald Trump signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani .
While that strike prompted an Iranian military response , it also sent a clear message to the Islamic Republic , Pompeo said .
`` I think it had multiple impacts , '' Pompeo told reporters in a briefing held after he toured the base .
`` First is I think it demonstrated resolve .
Not only for the United States but all of the forces that are working to push back against the Islamic Republic of Iran .
He was actively plotting to kill Americans .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can see that it 's now provided the Iranians with the knowledge that our notion of deterrence is real . ''
Iranian hostility and intransigence on both the military and diplomatic fronts served to push the United States and Saudi Arabia into a close partnership .
`` [ Saudi Arabia was ] in a position of realizing that as the temperature was going up in their own region , that they 're facing an opponent on the other side that is very , very large in terms of population and capability , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambassador to Saudi Arabia .
`` So they naturally turned to us for support , and our support has been defensive .
They 've never asked for offensive support .
It 's always been defensive support . ''
Iran 's increasingly provocative and violent military strikes on Saudi Arabia and in other areas of the region are the direct result of the Obama administration 's willingness to give Tehran a pass as it pursued the landmark nuclear accord , Pompeo said .
In addition to the boosted military posture , the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Pompeo said .
As part of this sanctions campaign , the administration announced Thursday morning that it is issuing new penalties against five members of Iran 's Guardian Council and its Elections Supervision Committee , which determine which candidates can run for political office .
Already , hundreds have been disqualified by the committees as they seek to control the outcome of the country 's election results .
`` The Trump administration will not tolerate the manipulation of elections to favor the regime ’ s malign agenda , and this action exposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Iranian people from freely choosing their leaders , '' Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement .
`` The United States will continue to support the democratic aspirations of Iranians . ''

PRINCE SULTAN AIR BASE, Saudi Arabia—The United States is aggressively monitoring Iranian missile threats across the Middle East in close coordination with its Saudi Arabian allies, according to U.S. military officials who briefed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a Thursday visit to the country's Prince Sultan Air Base.
More than 2,500 American forces entered the base in early January and quickly established a fleet of advanced F-15 tactical fighter jets to help the Saudis defend their country from increasingly severe Iranian missile strikes, according to the U.S. military officials who also briefed a group of reporters traveling with the secretary of state.
In addition to the fighter aircraft, the United States installed a set of Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to fend off potential Iranian strikes like the one in September 2019 on Saudi Arabia's state-owned Aramco oil fields. That attack stirred the region and saw the Trump administration deploy thousands of troops to the Gulf country.
Pompeo, in an afternoon visit to the base, met with American military personnel and received classified briefings about the ongoing threat posed by Iran and its regional terror proxies. While Iran has not launched additional strikes on Saudi Arabia since the late September salvo, the United States' continued presence in the region is a sign of how pressing and immediate the threat continues to be, Pompeo said in response to questions from the Washington Free Beacon.
"The fact that we’re here today, the fact that so many young American men and women are here and in other facilities not only here in Saudi Arabia, but in Iraq, indeed in Qatar ... I think demonstrates that the demand for deterrence remains," Pompeo said. "You need only look at the ayatollah’s Twitter feed to know that these are people who have a deep disdain for the very fundamental ideas that we hold so dear in the United States of America and their desire to wipe the state of Israel off the map and to do harm to the United States of America remains and our aim is to change that behavior from the regime."
A crucial part of the United States' plan for deterrence played out last month when President Donald Trump signed off on the airstrike that took out top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
While that strike prompted an Iranian military response, it also sent a clear message to the Islamic Republic, Pompeo said.
"I think it had multiple impacts," Pompeo told reporters in a briefing held after he toured the base. "First is I think it demonstrated resolve. Not only for the United States but all of the forces that are working to push back against the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was actively plotting to kill Americans. He killed Americans … and I think that you can see that it's now provided the Iranians with the knowledge that our notion of deterrence is real."
Iranian hostility and intransigence on both the military and diplomatic fronts served to push the United States and Saudi Arabia into a close partnership.
"[Saudi Arabia was] in a position of realizing that as the temperature was going up in their own region, that they're facing an opponent on the other side that is very, very large in terms of population and capability," said John Abizaid, the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia. "So they naturally turned to us for support, and our support has been defensive. They've never asked for offensive support. It's always been defensive support."
Iran's increasingly provocative and violent military strikes on Saudi Arabia and in other areas of the region are the direct result of the Obama administration's willingness to give Tehran a pass as it pursued the landmark nuclear accord, Pompeo said.
In addition to the boosted military posture, the Trump administration will continue applying economic sanctions on Iran, Pompeo said.
As part of this sanctions campaign, the administration announced Thursday morning that it is issuing new penalties against five members of Iran's Guardian Council and its Elections Supervision Committee, which determine which candidates can run for political office. Already, hundreds have been disqualified by the committees as they seek to control the outcome of the country's election results.
"The Trump administration will not tolerate the manipulation of elections to favor the regime’s malign agenda, and this action exposes those senior regime officials responsible for preventing the Iranian people from freely choosing their leaders," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "The United States will continue to support the democratic aspirations of Iranians."


freebeacon--2020-02-20--U.S. Blacklists Five Iranian Officials for Impeding ‘Fair’ Elections

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – The United States on Thursday blacklisted five Iranian officials , accusing them of preventing free and fair elections , a day before a parliamentary vote being seen as a referendum on the handling of various political and economic crises .
The Treasury Department said in a statement it imposed sanctions on the officials , members of Iran ’ s Guardian Council and its Elections Supervision Committee , over the council ’ s role in disqualifying several thousand candidates .
Thursday ’ s action targeted Ahmad Jannati , the Secretary of the Guardian Council , Mohammad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Guardian Council who was formerly Iran ’ s first Judiciary Chief , and three additional members of the Elections Supervisory Committee .
The sanctions freeze any U.S.-held assets of the officials and generally bar Americans from doing business with them .
Campaigning officially ended on Thursday for Iran ’ s parliamentary election .
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said voting is `` a religious duty '' but some prominent pro-reform politicians in Iran and activists abroad have called for a boycott .
`` The Trump Administration will not tolerate the manipulation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s malign agenda , and this action exposes those senior regime officials responsible for preventing the Iranian people from freely choosing their leaders , '' Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement .
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have spiked since Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from the Iran nuclear deal struck by his predecessor , Barack Obama , and began reimposing sanctions that had been eased under the accord .
The vote to pick 290 lawmakers will have no major influence on foreign affairs or Iran ’ s nuclear policy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardline loyalists are likely to dominate the parliament .
Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Susan Heavey ; Editing by Mary Milliken , Tim Ahmann and Nick Macfie

By Daphne Psaledakis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday blacklisted five Iranian officials, accusing them of preventing free and fair elections, a day before a parliamentary vote being seen as a referendum on the handling of various political and economic crises.
The Treasury Department said in a statement it imposed sanctions on the officials, members of Iran’s Guardian Council and its Elections Supervision Committee, over the council’s role in disqualifying several thousand candidates.
Thursday’s action targeted Ahmad Jannati, the Secretary of the Guardian Council, Mohammad Yazdi, a member of Iran’s Guardian Council who was formerly Iran’s first Judiciary Chief, and three additional members of the Elections Supervisory Committee.
The sanctions freeze any U.S.-held assets of the officials and generally bar Americans from doing business with them.
Campaigning officially ended on Thursday for Iran’s parliamentary election. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said voting is "a religious duty" but some prominent pro-reform politicians in Iran and activists abroad have called for a boycott.
"The Trump Administration will not tolerate the manipulation of elections to favor the regime’s malign agenda, and this action exposes those senior regime officials responsible for preventing the Iranian people from freely choosing their leaders," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have spiked since Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from the Iran nuclear deal struck by his predecessor, Barack Obama, and began reimposing sanctions that had been eased under the accord.
The vote to pick 290 lawmakers will have no major influence on foreign affairs or Iran’s nuclear policy, which is determined by Khamenei, whose hardline loyalists are likely to dominate the parliament.
Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Susan Heavey; Editing by Mary Milliken, Tim Ahmann and Nick Macfie


freebeacon--2020-02-20--Bloomberg Misleadingly Claims Chinese Pollution Has Slowed, India ‘Even Bigger Problem’ for Climate

Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg downplayed China 's role as a global polluter during Wednesday 's Democratic debate , inaccurately labeling India `` an even bigger problem . ''
`` Mayor Bloomberg , your business is heavily invested in China … the number one producer in the world of carbon emissions , '' debate moderator Lester Holt said .
`` How far would you go to force China to reduce those emissions and tackle the climate crisis ? ''
Bloomberg criticized President Donald Trump 's ongoing trade war with China and emphasized the importance of diplomatic negotiations before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's defense .
`` In all fairness , the Chinese have slowed down , '' Bloomberg said .
`` It 's India that is an even bigger problem .
But it is an enormous problem .
Nobody 's doing anything about it . ''
Data on global carbon emissions tell a different story .
Since the mid-2000s , China 's mass industrialization has made it the world 's leading producer of CO2 , generating 28 percent of global carbon dioxide in 2017 alone .
That share has leveled off in recent years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2019 slowed economic growth and added renewables helped temper China 's carbon dioxide output .
But the country is still building new coal-fired plants—the same power sources Bloomberg has campaigned to close in the United States and Europe .
China remains well ahead of India , which was responsible for an estimated 7 percent of the world 's CO2 production in 2017 .
The IEA noted that while there is continued demand for fossil fuels in India , it was partially offset by `` strong renewables growth , '' suggesting India is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon .
Bloomberg 's campaign did not respond to a request for clarification as to how he estimated that India was an `` even bigger problem . ''
Bloomberg 's business ventures in China are extensive and could `` create unprecedented entanglements if he is elected president , '' according to the Washington Post .
Hong Kong and mainland China account for an estimated 5 percent of Bloomberg L.P. 's revenue , and his efforts to allow U.S. companies to trade in Chinese currency may have funneled up to $ 150 billion into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership of the Chinese Communist Party on more than just climate issues .
In a recent interview , he defended Chinese president Xi Jinping as `` not a dictator , '' claiming the current government has the backing of `` the will of the majority of its people . ''
Those financial entanglements have in the past led to Bloomberg 's business bending the knee to the Chinese authorities .
In 2012 , Bloomberg News reported extensively on then-vice president Xi 's family finances , prompting the government to place restrictions on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation written after Xi 's elevation to the presidency was not published—a Bloomberg editor told Hong Kong reporters , `` If we run the story , we ’ ll be kicked out of China , '' according to the Post .
Bloomberg , then mayor of New York City , denied involvement with the affair .
In a 2014 interview , however , when asked if Bloomberg News limits reporters in China , he said , `` In China , they have rules about what you can publish .
We follow those rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules , you ’ re not in the country . ''

Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg downplayed China's role as a global polluter during Wednesday's Democratic debate, inaccurately labeling India "an even bigger problem."
"Mayor Bloomberg, your business is heavily invested in China ... the number one producer in the world of carbon emissions," debate moderator Lester Holt said. "How far would you go to force China to reduce those emissions and tackle the climate crisis?"
Bloomberg criticized President Donald Trump's ongoing trade war with China and emphasized the importance of diplomatic negotiations before taking the opportunity to leap to China's defense.
"In all fairness, the Chinese have slowed down," Bloomberg said. "It's India that is an even bigger problem. But it is an enormous problem. Nobody's doing anything about it."
Data on global carbon emissions tell a different story. Since the mid-2000s, China's mass industrialization has made it the world's leading producer of CO2, generating 28 percent of global carbon dioxide in 2017 alone. That share has leveled off in recent years, and the International Energy Agency reported that in 2019 slowed economic growth and added renewables helped temper China's carbon dioxide output. But the country is still building new coal-fired plants—the same power sources Bloomberg has campaigned to close in the United States and Europe.
China remains well ahead of India, which was responsible for an estimated 7 percent of the world's CO2 production in 2017. The IEA noted that while there is continued demand for fossil fuels in India, it was partially offset by "strong renewables growth," suggesting India is unlikely to catch up to China anytime soon.
Bloomberg's campaign did not respond to a request for clarification as to how he estimated that India was an "even bigger problem."
Bloomberg's business ventures in China are extensive and could "create unprecedented entanglements if he is elected president," according to the Washington Post. Hong Kong and mainland China account for an estimated 5 percent of Bloomberg L.P.'s revenue, and his efforts to allow U.S. companies to trade in Chinese currency may have funneled up to $150 billion into the country.
Bloomberg has defended the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party on more than just climate issues. In a recent interview, he defended Chinese president Xi Jinping as "not a dictator," claiming the current government has the backing of "the will of the majority of its people."
Those financial entanglements have in the past led to Bloomberg's business bending the knee to the Chinese authorities. In 2012, Bloomberg News reported extensively on then-vice president Xi's family finances, prompting the government to place restrictions on the company. In response, a followup investigation written after Xi's elevation to the presidency was not published—a Bloomberg editor told Hong Kong reporters, "If we run the story, we’ll be kicked out of China," according to the Post.
Bloomberg, then mayor of New York City, denied involvement with the affair. In a 2014 interview, however, when asked if Bloomberg News limits reporters in China, he said, "In China, they have rules about what you can publish. We follow those rules. If you don't follow the rules, you’re not in the country."


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BIDEN REVERTS TO BOOTLICKING … `` Biden Praises Bloomberg ’ s Gun-Control Group at Campaign Rally , '' by WFB ’ s Stephen Gutowski : [ Joe ] Biden delivered a speech on Thursday discussing his record supporting strict gun control with at least 10 people wearing `` Moms Demand Action '' shirts and caps standing behind him .
The organization Moms Demand Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael ] Bloomberg 's $ 270 million decade-long effort to institute new gun bans and other gun-control measures nationwide .
THE COUNT OF BERNIE CRISTO … `` Sanders Criminal Justice Adviser Caught Plotting Violent Jailbreak , '' by WFB ’ s Joe Schoffstall : Alex Friedmann , a prison reform advocate who helped shape the Vermont senator 's criminal justice agenda , spent months plotting an escape for inmates of [ Nashville ’ s ] detention center .
[ Bernie ] Sanders worked with Friedmann to develop positions on criminal justice in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders still touts .
The break-in was part of `` an extremely deliberate and , in my opinion , evil plan '' Friedmann developed `` over many months , '' [ Davidson County sheriff Daron ] Hall said .
HAR HAR … `` Bloomberg Dismisses Past Comments As ‘ A Joke . '
NDA Shows Plaintiff Barred From Offering Differing View , '' via ABC NEWS : As [ Michael ] Bloomberg has downplayed the nature of the allegations against him and his company , those who leveled allegations against him who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially significant financial exposure if they decided to speak … ABC News has spoken with several women who expressed interest in telling their stories , but feared the prospect of retribution from the company , including significant financial losses for violating the terms of their confidentiality agreement by speaking out .
DESPERATE ABANDONMENT OF PRINCIPLES ?
SHE ’ S GOT A PLAN FOR THAT … `` Elizabeth Warren Has Reversed On Super PAC Support : `` That ’ s How It Has To Be '' , '' via BUZZFEED : It was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign website still said the Massachusetts senator `` rejects all super PACs '' and `` would disavow any super PAC formed to support her in the Democratic primary . ''
She had criticized other candidates for them as late as last week on the debate stage in New Hampshire … She connected the issue directly to gender , noting that the Democratic field was stocked with male candidates who were either billionaires or backed by big-money organizations .
SOMETHING SOMETHING , SEALED , DELIVERED … `` Nevada Democrats notify 1,000 early caucusgoers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signature , '' via NEVADA INDEPENDENT : The voided ballots , from the first three of four days of early voting , make up about 2.8 percent of the 36,000 ballots cast over the three-day period , with party officials still processing the 39,000 ballots cast on the fourth day of early voting .
SEND THE BOMBERS … `` U.S .
Aggressively Monitoring Potential Iranian Attacks From Saudi Air Base , '' by WFB ’ s Adam Kredo : The United States is aggressively monitoring Iranian missile threats across the Middle East in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to U.S. military officials who briefed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a Thursday visit to the country 's Prince Sultan Air Base … While Iran has not launched additional strikes on Saudi Arabia since the late September salvo , the United States ' continued presence in the region is a sign of how pressing and immediate the threat continues to be , Pompeo said in response to questions from the Washington Free Beacon .
UNDETERRED … `` Russia Blamed for October Cyberattack on Georgia , '' via WSJ : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blaming Russia for a large-scale cyberattack that knocked out thousands of government , private , and media websites in the Caucasian country in October .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and British foreign secretary Dominic Raab attributed the attack to the GRU , the Russian military spy agency that Western officials allege is responsible for a raft of overseas operations , including an attempt to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign .
READY-MADE EXCUSE … `` Russia Backs Trump ’ s Re-election , and He Fears Democrats Will Exploit Its Support , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House lawmakers last week that Russia was interfering in the 2020 campaign to try to get President Trump reelected , five people familiar with the matter said , in a disclosure that angered Mr. Trump , who complained that Democrats would use it against him .
GO GET THAT PULITZER … `` Media Scramble to Fact Check Whether There Were Actual Crickets on Debate Stage , '' by WFB ’ s David Rutz : In the video , [ Michael ] Bloomberg 's question at Wednesday 's Democratic debate about whether any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met with 20 seconds of blank stares , complete with cricket noises , the classic sound effect during an awkward silence … While [ CNN ’ s Dana Bash ] acknowledged the campaign had pointed out it was meant to be humorous , she said it 's an era where `` we are so concerned about things that are doctored , deepfakes on the internet . ''
REMEMBER WHEN THEY WOULDN ’ T PUBLISH JOHN MCCAIN … `` New York Times publishes Taliban propaganda , '' via EXAMINER : `` What We , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual headline to an article published Thursday by an actual American newsroom .
The op-ed , authored by Taliban deputy leader and suspected terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani , opens with a series of sentences that attempt to `` both sides '' the conflict between the Taliban and the United States and present the Americans as unreliable and untrustworthy negotiators .
SINEMA OBJECTS … `` Katie Hill Speaks Out : Rampant Biphobia Forced Me Out of Congress , '' via DAILY BEAST : The former congresswoman said a `` huge part '' of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her away from Capitol Hill , is because she ’ s a bisexual woman .
As sex scandals involving women politicians are rarer than with men , she said the media got overly excited about it , so it generated more headlines , for longer than it would for a straight man .
`` There ’ s a fantasy element of it , '' Hill said .
`` There ’ s biphobia that is rampant still , and certainly a misunderstanding of what bisexuality is . ''
SUBWAY SERIES … `` Battle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Matthew Continetti : The presidential race will be determined by the actions of three [ Americans ] : Donald Trump , Bernie Sanders , and Michael Bloomberg .
Each is a New Yorker .
Each hails from a different borough .
Trump was born in Queens , Sanders in Brooklyn , and Bloomberg , a native of Massachusetts , has worked and lived in Manhattan since 1973 … The power of media , collapse of the center left , revolt against the political establishment , and a realignment of campaign finance that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and self-funding billionaires on the other have elevated the Big Apple to preeminence .
Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon’s morning newsletter, your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom. To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning, sign up here.
MENSHEVIKS PREPARE FOR LAST STAND … "Democratic Leaders Willing to Risk Party Damage to Stop Bernie Sanders," via NYT: Since Mr. Sanders’s victory in Nevada’s caucuses on Saturday, the Times has interviewed 93 party officials—all of them superdelegates … and found overwhelming opposition to handing the Vermont senator the nomination if he arrived with the most delegates but fell short of a majority …
Since Mr. Sanders won Nevada’s caucuses on Saturday, four donors have approached former representative Steve Israel of New York to ask if he can suggest someone to run a super PAC aimed at blocking Mr. Sanders. He declined their offer.
THE NEW NEW DEMOCRATS … "2020 Dem Plans Reflect Party of the ‘Professional Class’," by WFB’s Charles Fain Lehman: The [Manhattan Institute] report examines the distributive impacts of major proposals, including Medicare for All, student debt forgiveness, and the repeal of key components of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). It argues that while Democratic candidates talk big about supporting workers and the poor, these programs primarily serve the interests of the wealthy …
Long branded as representatives of the working class, the Democratic Party has come to appeal primarily to the college-educated, often affluent residents of urban America, data indicate.
MIKE GOT IT DONE … "Bloomberg Locked Up Nearly Half a Million People on Marijuana Charges," by WFB’s Yuichiro Kakutani: The administrations of [Michael] Bloomberg's three predecessors … collectively arrested 226,000 people, or 25 people daily, for the same charge over a 24-year period between 1978 and 2001. During Bloomberg's tenure, approximately 471,000 people were arrested on possession charges …
The possession arrests for Bloomberg's tenure peaked in 2011 when the police hauled in more than 50,000 New Yorkers.
DOWNLOAD UNAVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN … "Coming to a podcast near you: Hillary Clinton," via POLITICO: The former first lady, secretary of State, and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee is planning to launch a new audio program in late spring, just in time for her to have a powerful new megaphone during the 2020 election …
Clinton’s show will feature her in conversation with a brand-name guest, who might be drawn from world leaders and politicians, of course, but also celebrities, authors and perhaps famous chefs.
BOOK THROWN … "Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh sentenced to 3 years for ‘Healthy Holly’ children’s book fraud scheme," via BALTIMORE SUN: [Pugh] told reporters: "This is not the last you’ll see of Catherine Pugh" …
Pugh’s political fall began in March when the Baltimore Sun revealed she had entered into a no-bid deal with the University of Maryland Medical System, where Pugh sat on the board of directors, to buy 100,000 copies of her sloppily self-published "Healthy Holly" books for $500,000.
YANG HOLDS OUT FOR BETTER OFFER … "Michael Bloomberg’s Campaign Sought Andrew Yang’s Backing, Floated Vice- Presidential Slot," via WSJ: Aides to the former New York City mayor reached out to discuss ways the two entrepreneurs-turned-politicians could work together as Mr. Bloomberg seeks the Democratic nomination, these people said.
Mr. Yang, who dropped out of the race earlier this month, didn’t commit to join forces, as he considers his own political future, a third person familiar with the discussions said.
NO SURRENDER … "Congressional Republicans Warn Trump Against Inking Peace Deal With Taliban," by WFB’s Adam Kredo: The lawmakers … are demanding they receive assurances the administration "will not place the security of the American people into the hands of the Taliban" …
The lawmakers are also demanding the release of so-called secret annexes in the draft agreement that they claim establish a set of unknown side deals with the Taliban, a move reminiscent of the Obama administration's secret agreements with Iran when the Iran nuclear deal was being negotiated.
TEHRAN MARY … "Iran Vice President Is One of 7 Officials to Contract Coronavirus," via NYT: The disclosure came a day after a cabinet meeting in which she was in close contact with other government leaders, including [Hassan] Rouhani. A photo posted by a BBC Persia reporter on Twitter showed she had been sitting a few yards from the president.
[Masoumeh] Ebtekar, one of four vice presidents, was known to Americans as "Mary" during the Tehran hostage crisis four decades ago, when, as a young revolutionary, she was a spokeswoman for the captors of the 52 Americans held at the United States Embassy.
PICTURE OF COWARDICE … "Sony World Photography Awards Removes Hong Kong Protest Images," via HYPERALLERGIC: Since pro-democracy protests prompted by the Hong Kong government’s now-scrapped extradition bill erupted across the city in spring 2019, China has tightened its grip on the media …
Now, some speculate WPO yielded to pressure from China to take down the photographs, especially because other entries featuring arguably graphic or politically sensitive content have not faced a similar fate in past competitions.
THE REAL VICTIMS … "Mark Halperin Says Murderers Are Treated More Fairly Than Canceled People," via MOTHER JONES: "I haven’t had a job interview in two years," Halperin said, adding that he has applied to work at restaurants and Target, trying to get health insurance for his three-year-old son …
When [asked to] differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate ways that he had been held accountable for his behavior … he said victims deserve "top priority" but complained again that there isn’t a mechanism for reintegrating canceled people.
THIS IS CNN … "Sasse Criticizes CNN for Referring to a Baby as a ‘Fetus That Was Born’," via CNN: "The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is about babies who have already been born," [Sen. Ben] Sasse said to the Washington Free Beacon. "I’m glad CNN finally made the correction, but there’s no reason this needed to take two days. Planned Parenthood desperately wants to misrepresent this bipartisan, pro-babies bill, and unfortunately too many reporters have bought their spin hook, line, and sinker."
PUNK IS DEAD … "Billy Idol is helping de Blasio take on idling cars in new campaign," via NY POST: Billy Idol has a new Rebel Yell: helping Mayor Bill de Blasio fight fume-spewing vehicles that idle on Big Apple streets …
The campaign will also publicize the city’s 2018 "Citizens Air Complaint Program," where individuals who see a bus or delivery truck idling for longer than four minutes can file a complaint and collect a 25 percent bounty off the fine, worth $87.50.
"The First Postmodern Pandemic," via WFB’s Matthew Continetti: We were better off when the media focused on impeachment. Now that it is interested in coronavirus, a familiar pattern will set in. Data will be publicized without the slightest sense of proportion. The most outrageous scenarios will receive the most attention. Speculation will be paraded as fact …
The Washington Post transcribes Democratic Party talking points when it suggests Vice President Mike Pence is incapable of overseeing the government's efforts because he opposes needle-sharing programs. Among the reasons [President Donald] Trump is said to have weakened public health? He defunded Planned Parenthood.
Thanks for reading! Send tips to rutz@freebeacon.com.