freebeacon--2020-10-04--This Week in Leftist Intimidation and Violence Vol. 6

As Election Day approaches and the first presidential debate dominated the news cycle , protests this week featured more violence , including a Black Lives Matter supporter who drove a car through a crowd of pro-Trump protesters .
And while newly released figures show the high financial cost of riots in Portland , the Associated Press decided this week to discourage describing the urban violence across America as `` rioting . ''
5 .
BLM Leader : ‘ I Feel Like Breaking Some S— , I Feel Like Taking Some S—' Jahdi , a hip-hop artist and prominent left-wing activist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people during a Black Lives Matter concert in downtown Portland , where rioting and looting have become a regular feature of life .
4 .
Associated Press Discourages the Word ‘ Riot ' and Says Protest May Be ‘ Peaceful or Violent' The Associated Press published new guidelines that discourage the use of the word `` riot '' and expand the definitions of the words `` demonstration '' and `` protest '' to include violent actions .
The Portland Police Bureau spent nearly $ 8 million to respond to protests and riots this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their push to defund the police .
One Portland police sergeant was sent to the hospital Monday after protesters attacked several officers with chemical irritants , baseball bats , and rocks , while police seized other weapons at the scene .
1 .
Woman Arrested for Driving Into Pro-Trump Demonstration and Injuring Several A Black Lives Matter supporter is charged with assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder after driving through a crowd of Trump supporters , running over a woman 's head , and breaking a man 's legs .

As Election Day approaches and the first presidential debate dominated the news cycle, protests this week featured more violence, including a Black Lives Matter supporter who drove a car through a crowd of pro-Trump protesters. And while newly released figures show the high financial cost of riots in Portland, the Associated Press decided this week to discourage describing the urban violence across America as "rioting."
5. BLM Leader: 'I Feel Like Breaking Some S—, I Feel Like Taking Some S—'
Jahdi, a hip-hop artist and prominent left-wing activist, rapped about smashing property and robbing people during a Black Lives Matter concert in downtown Portland, where rioting and looting have become a regular feature of life.
https://twitter.com/R3volutionDaddy/status/1311557446641438720
4. Associated Press Discourages the Word 'Riot' and Says Protest May Be 'Peaceful or Violent'
The Associated Press published new guidelines that discourage the use of the word "riot" and expand the definitions of the words "demonstration" and "protest" to include violent actions.
Protest and demonstration refer to specific actions such as marches, sit-ins, rallies or other actions meant to register dissent. They can be legal or illegal, organized or spontaneous, peaceful or violent, and involve any number of people. (4/5) — APStylebook (@APStylebook) September 30, 2020
3. Portland Spends $8 Million Responding to Anti-Police Riots | Washington Free Beacon
The Portland Police Bureau spent nearly $8 million to respond to protests and riots this summer, as protesters in Portland continue their push to defund the police.
2. Officers Assaulted During Unlawful Assembly in Portland
One Portland police sergeant was sent to the hospital Monday after protesters attacked several officers with chemical irritants, baseball bats, and rocks, while police seized other weapons at the scene.
Overnight on 28–29 Sept., #antifa rioters gathered in north Portland & violently attacked cops. One officer was sent to hospital & 5 were sprayed w/chemical. One of the "medic" cars was driving erratically & had a gun inside. Those arrested carried knives. https://t.co/leb1fHsAsh pic.twitter.com/cTqmjzOZZU — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) September 29, 2020
1. Woman Arrested for Driving Into Pro-Trump Demonstration and Injuring Several
A Black Lives Matter supporter is charged with assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder after driving through a crowd of Trump supporters, running over a woman's head, and breaking a man's legs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1x5s8gWaPw&feature=youtu.be


freebeacon--2020-10-04--Klobuchar Contradicts Herself on Calls to Delay Barrett Hearings

Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar ( D. ) contradicted herself Sunday on whether the Senate should delay hearings on Amy Coney Barrett 's Supreme Court nomination in light of Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee testing positive for COVID-19 .
Klobuchar initially said Republicans are trying to `` ram through '' Barrett 's nomination but said that she was `` absolutely not '' calling for the hearings to be delayed .
She then reversed course again and said the hearings should be delayed because it would be `` better for safety . ''
`` I do n't know why you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , put people in danger because it would be within that two week period , '' Klobuchar told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace .
Klobuchar then said she was `` absolutely '' not calling for the hearings to be delayed after Wallace pointed out that the hearings can be held virtually .
`` We believe you should have an in-person hearing .
That does n't mean the virtual option would n't be available , '' she said .
Klobuchar then said the Senate should be focused on a COVID economic stimulus package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senator said should be delayed because it is `` better for safety . ''
`` Wait until after the election .
Better for safety , better for the country , '' she said .
Klobuchar 's mixed messaging comes as Senate Democrats call on Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham ( R. , S.C. ) to delay Barrett 's hearing , which is set to begin on Oct. 12 .
`` To proceed at this juncture with a hearing to consider Judge Barrett 's nomination to the Supreme Court threatens the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called upon to do the work of this body , '' Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( Calif. ) and the other nine Democrats on the committee , including Klobuchar , wrote in a letter .

Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar (D.) contradicted herself Sunday on whether the Senate should delay hearings on Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination in light of Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee testing positive for COVID-19.
Klobuchar initially said Republicans are trying to "ram through" Barrett's nomination but said that she was "absolutely not" calling for the hearings to be delayed. She then reversed course again and said the hearings should be delayed because it would be "better for safety."
"I don't know why you would ram through the Supreme Court hearing, put people in danger because it would be within that two week period," Klobuchar told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace.
Klobuchar then said she was "absolutely" not calling for the hearings to be delayed after Wallace pointed out that the hearings can be held virtually.
"We believe you should have an in-person hearing. That doesn't mean the virtual option wouldn't be available," she said. Klobuchar then said the Senate should be focused on a COVID economic stimulus package rather than Barrett's hearings, which the senator said should be delayed because it is "better for safety."
"Wait until after the election. Better for safety, better for the country," she said.
Klobuchar's mixed messaging comes as Senate Democrats call on Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) to delay Barrett's hearing, which is set to begin on Oct. 12.
"To proceed at this juncture with a hearing to consider Judge Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court threatens the health and safety of all those who are called upon to do the work of this body," Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and the other nine Democrats on the committee, including Klobuchar, wrote in a letter.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Sen. Gary Peters Forces Michigan Taxpayers To Pay For His Cadillac Health Insurance

Sen. Gary Peters ( Mich. ) is campaigning on his support for the Affordable Care Act , but the Democrat opted out of Obamacare coverage to remain on a controversial plan that forces his state 's taxpayers to foot the bill for his Cadillac health benefits .
Peters does not participate in the gold-level Obamacare policy available to all members of Congress , according to his financial disclosures .
Instead , he participates in the Michigan Legislative Retirement System—a taxpayer-funded health care program that lawmakers reformed after public outcry about its multimillion-dollar costs .
The program covers 90 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan legislators such as Peters , a state senator from 1995 to 2002 .
It 's much better deal than Congress 's Obamacare benefits , which only cover 72 percent of the cost for premiums .
A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers abolished the program in 2011 after taxpayers took issue with its multimillion-dollar costs .
Even as Peters opted out of Obamacare , for which he voted in 2011 , he has defended and even called for expanding the program on the campaign trail .
`` We should open up the enrollment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people who may not have health insurance have the opportunity to have that peace of mind now , '' he said in a virtual campaign event in July .
The Peters campaign did not respond to a request for comment .
The generous retirement plan was available to any former Michigan lawmakers over the age of 55 who served six years in the state legislature .
It received considerable public criticism , prompting almost all Democrats and Republicans to vote to abolish it for future generations of lawmakers in 2011 .
Jack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Michigan-based Mackinac Center , said the retirement plan 's unpopularity with voters made it a `` political football '' between Democrats and Republicans , prompting the bipartisan reform .
`` The public was putting the pressure on , legislators were responding , '' McHugh told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` [ The public ] said , ‘ You guys are getting something Joe Citizen is n't getting and that 's not fair.
’ '' The reform sought to phase the plan out gradually .
As a result , Peters and 263 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cutoff date are still participating in the taxpayer-funded program .
It cost Michiganders more than $ 5.3 million in 2019 alone .
Peters is fighting to keep his Senate seat against John James , a West Point graduate who mounted a competitive 2018 race against Sen. Debbie Stabenow .
Peters has a 3.8 point lead over his rival , according to an average of polls compiled by Real Clear Politics .

Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.) is campaigning on his support for the Affordable Care Act, but the Democrat opted out of Obamacare coverage to remain on a controversial plan that forces his state's taxpayers to foot the bill for his Cadillac health benefits.
Peters does not participate in the gold-level Obamacare policy available to all members of Congress, according to his financial disclosures. Instead, he participates in the Michigan Legislative Retirement System—a taxpayer-funded health care program that lawmakers reformed after public outcry about its multimillion-dollar costs.
The program covers 90 percent of the health care premium costs for retired Michigan legislators such as Peters, a state senator from 1995 to 2002. It's much better deal than Congress's Obamacare benefits, which only cover 72 percent of the cost for premiums. A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers abolished the program in 2011 after taxpayers took issue with its multimillion-dollar costs.
Even as Peters opted out of Obamacare, for which he voted in 2011, he has defended and even called for expanding the program on the campaign trail.
"We should open up the enrollment of the Affordable Care Act now so that people who may not have health insurance have the opportunity to have that peace of mind now," he said in a virtual campaign event in July.
The Peters campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The generous retirement plan was available to any former Michigan lawmakers over the age of 55 who served six years in the state legislature. It received considerable public criticism, prompting almost all Democrats and Republicans to vote to abolish it for future generations of lawmakers in 2011.
Jack McHugh, a senior legislative analyst at the Michigan-based Mackinac Center, said the retirement plan's unpopularity with voters made it a "political football" between Democrats and Republicans, prompting the bipartisan reform.
"The public was putting the pressure on, legislators were responding," McHugh told the Washington Free Beacon. "[The public] said, 'You guys are getting something Joe Citizen isn't getting and that's not fair.’"
The reform sought to phase the plan out gradually. As a result, Peters and 263 other ex-legislators who served before the 2007 cutoff date are still participating in the taxpayer-funded program. It cost Michiganders more than $5.3 million in 2019 alone.
Peters is fighting to keep his Senate seat against John James, a West Point graduate who mounted a competitive 2018 race against Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Peters has a 3.8 point lead over his rival, according to an average of polls compiled by RealClearPolitics.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Behind New Khashoggi Group Are Anti-Israel Activists

A new organization intended to carry out the vision of late Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi is led and staffed by prominent anti-Israel activists , including a controversial lawyer who defended a dozen people allegedly involved in the 9/11 terror attacks .
Democracy for the Arab World Now ( DAWN ) bills itself as a new human rights group that seeks to `` focus on violations by the United States ’ closest Arab allies , '' according to a New York Times report this week on the group ’ s foundation .
Khashoggi was reportedly working to launch the organization when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
While the group positions itself as a pro-democracy watchdog , its leadership is comprised of controversial anti-Israel voices who have targeted the Jewish state .
The group ’ s executive director , Sarah Leah Whitson , is a well-known Israel critic who most recently served as managing director for research and policy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft , an isolationist think tank that has pushed anti-Israel and pro-Iran viewpoints .
Whitson attracted widespread criticism in March when she likened Israel ’ s tough coronavirus quarantine measures to the plight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Such a tiny taste .
Missing a tablespoon of blood , '' Whitson wrote in a tweet that she later deleted after it prompted accusations of anti-Semitism .
DAWN ’ s board of directors includes the founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations ( CAIR ) , an anti-Israel group that was embroiled in an FBI probe into whether it was funneling cash to the terror group Hamas .
Another board member served as legal counsel for Sudan when it was taken to court for alleged involvement in the 9/11 terror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the organization is meant to boost Khashoggi ’ s vision for democracy across the Middle East .
He reportedly seeded the idea in 2017 , after he fled Saudi Arabia and relocated to Washington , D.C. , where he became a frequent critic of Saudi leadership .
`` The fundamental premise that democracy and human rights are the only solution for stability , security and dignity in the Middle East is 100 percent Jamal ’ s point of view , '' Whitson said in an interview with the New York Times .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be about . ''
Among those serving on the organization ’ s board of directors is Asim Ghafoor , a prominent national security lawyer who has represented the Sudanese government against American victims in litigation stemming from the 9/11 terror attacks , the bombing of the U.S. embassy in Sudan , and the bombing of the U.S.S .
Cole .
CAIR ’ s cofounder Nihad Awad is also a DAWN board member .
Prior to joining CAIR , Awad served as the public relations director for the now-defunct Islamic Association for Palestine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government as part of ‘ Hamas ’ propaganda apparatus , ’ '' according to information from the Anti-Defamation League ( ADL ) , which combats anti-Semitism .
CAIR ’ s leadership has been embroiled in controversy over its connections to the terror group Hamas .
The ADL , which offers muted praise for the group ’ s work , has warned that `` at times the organization ’ s positions and work have been shadowed by early connections between some of CAIR ’ s top leadership and organizations that are or were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antipathy towards Israel has been a CAIR staple since the group was founded . ''
Awad was an early supporter of Hamas , stating in 1994 : `` After I researched the situation inside Palestine and outside , I am in support of the Hamas movement more than the PLO . ''
Asked by Al Jazeera in 2000 if he would condemn Hamas , Awad stated , `` We do not condemn , and we will not condemn any liberation movement inside Palestine or inside Lebanon . ''
Prior to joining Dawn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quincy Institute , which is funded by billionaires Charles Koch and George Soros .
Her anti-Israel Twitter outburst contributed to allegations that Quincy was founded to push anti-Israel causes and attack the Jewish state .
Whitson also worked at Human Rights Watch , another advocacy group that has spent years criticizing the Israeli government and its policies in the West Bank area .
She made headlines during her time there for attempting to raise money in Saudi Arabia by highlighting the group ’ s anti-Israel work .

A new organization intended to carry out the vision of late Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi is led and staffed by prominent anti-Israel activists, including a controversial lawyer who defended a dozen people allegedly involved in the 9/11 terror attacks.
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) bills itself as a new human rights group that seeks to "focus on violations by the United States’ closest Arab allies," according to a New York Times report this week on the group’s foundation. Khashoggi was reportedly working to launch the organization when he was killed in Saudi Arabia in 2018.
While the group positions itself as a pro-democracy watchdog, its leadership is comprised of controversial anti-Israel voices who have targeted the Jewish state. The group’s executive director, Sarah Leah Whitson, is a well-known Israel critic who most recently served as managing director for research and policy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, an isolationist think tank that has pushed anti-Israel and pro-Iran viewpoints.
Whitson attracted widespread criticism in March when she likened Israel’s tough coronavirus quarantine measures to the plight of Palestinians living in the disputed territories. "Such a tiny taste. Missing a tablespoon of blood," Whitson wrote in a tweet that she later deleted after it prompted accusations of anti-Semitism.
DAWN’s board of directors includes the founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an anti-Israel group that was embroiled in an FBI probe into whether it was funneling cash to the terror group Hamas. Another board member served as legal counsel for Sudan when it was taken to court for alleged involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks.
DAWN’s leaders say the organization is meant to boost Khashoggi’s vision for democracy across the Middle East. He reportedly seeded the idea in 2017, after he fled Saudi Arabia and relocated to Washington, D.C., where he became a frequent critic of Saudi leadership.
"The fundamental premise that democracy and human rights are the only solution for stability, security and dignity in the Middle East is 100 percent Jamal’s point of view," Whitson said in an interview with the New York Times. "That is what he wanted this organization to be about."
Among those serving on the organization’s board of directors is Asim Ghafoor, a prominent national security lawyer who has represented the Sudanese government against American victims in litigation stemming from the 9/11 terror attacks, the bombing of the U.S. embassy in Sudan, and the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole.
CAIR’s cofounder Nihad Awad is also a DAWN board member. Prior to joining CAIR, Awad served as the public relations director for the now-defunct Islamic Association for Palestine, a group "described by the U.S. government as part of ‘Hamas’ propaganda apparatus,’" according to information from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which combats anti-Semitism.
CAIR’s leadership has been embroiled in controversy over its connections to the terror group Hamas. The ADL, which offers muted praise for the group’s work, has warned that "at times the organization’s positions and work have been shadowed by early connections between some of CAIR’s top leadership and organizations that are or were affiliated with Hamas" and that "antipathy towards Israel has been a CAIR staple since the group was founded."
Awad was an early supporter of Hamas, stating in 1994: "After I researched the situation inside Palestine and outside, I am in support of the Hamas movement more than the PLO." Asked by Al Jazeera in 2000 if he would condemn Hamas, Awad stated, "We do not condemn, and we will not condemn any liberation movement inside Palestine or inside Lebanon."
Prior to joining Dawn, Whitson spent a short time at the Quincy Institute, which is funded by billionaires Charles Koch and George Soros. Her anti-Israel Twitter outburst contributed to allegations that Quincy was founded to push anti-Israel causes and attack the Jewish state.
Whitson also worked at Human Rights Watch, another advocacy group that has spent years criticizing the Israeli government and its policies in the West Bank area. She made headlines during her time there for attempting to raise money in Saudi Arabia by highlighting the group’s anti-Israel work.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--China Intensifies Propaganda to Include Simulated Strike on American Soil

China has intensified its propaganda to feature militarist displays , including footage of a simulated airstrike on American territory , the New York Times reported Monday .
Propaganda from Chinese Communist Party-affiliated outlets has increasingly showcased Chinese military strength , featuring footage manipulated from Hollywood movies like The Rock and The Hurt Locker .
`` If war breaks out , '' one video of Chinese soldiers charging through a forest said , `` this is my answer . ''
Another video featured a Chinese aircraft attacking Andersen Air Force Base in Guam .
That video was soon removed from Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral .
China 's latest propaganda videos have been viewed millions of times .
In recent months , the growing relationship between the United States and Taiwan , which China views as its sovereign territory , has led to unprecedented Chinese propaganda efforts and military showmanship aimed at both countries .
In August , China flew more than a dozen fighter jets near Taiwanese airspace during Taiwan 's reception of Undersecretary of State Keith Krach .
Chinese newspapers take on a similar warlike tone .
Washington is `` playing with fire '' by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China 's most hawkish state-backed outlet , recently claimed .
The same editorial also said Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen would be `` wiped out '' if she challenged China .
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic , the Trump administration has made brushing back Chinese aggression a key priority .
In recent months , the White House has sanctioned Chinese human-rights abusers , sought new partnerships with allies in the Indo-Pacific , and strengthened ties with historic partners in Europe to meet the China challenge .
As recently as last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echoing talking points from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Last year , Biden said China was `` not competition '' for the United States .

China has intensified its propaganda to feature militarist displays, including footage of a simulated airstrike on American territory, the New York Times reported Monday.
Propaganda from Chinese Communist Party-affiliated outlets has increasingly showcased Chinese military strength, featuring footage manipulated from Hollywood movies like The Rock and The Hurt Locker.
"If war breaks out," one video of Chinese soldiers charging through a forest said, "this is my answer."
Another video featured a Chinese aircraft attacking Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. That video was soon removed from Chinese social media without explanation after quickly going viral. China's latest propaganda videos have been viewed millions of times.
In recent months, the growing relationship between the United States and Taiwan, which China views as its sovereign territory, has led to unprecedented Chinese propaganda efforts and military showmanship aimed at both countries. In September, China flew more than a dozen fighter jets near Taiwanese airspace during Taiwan's reception of Undersecretary of State Keith Krach.
Chinese newspapers take on a similar warlike tone. Washington is "playing with fire" by supporting Taiwan, the Global Times, China's most hawkish state-backed outlet, recently claimed. The same editorial also said Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen would be "wiped out" if she challenged China.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration has made brushing back Chinese aggression a key priority. In recent months, the White House has sanctioned Chinese human-rights abusers, sought new partnerships with allies in the Indo-Pacific, and strengthened ties with historic partners in Europe to meet the China challenge.
As recently as last week, Chinese media targeted the Trump administration by echoing talking points from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Last year, Biden said China was "not competition" for the United States.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Baltimore Private School Alums Outraged Over Headmaster’s Condemnation of Anti-Semitism

A group of self-described `` white alums '' from a historically Jewish private school in Baltimore excoriated the institution 's leadership this week after they condemned anti-Semitism from black students , alums , and parents who demanded the school implement a wide-ranging series of reforms .
Baltimore 's Park School , which was founded in 1912 by Jews who were barred entry into the city 's existing private schools , vowed to work in partnership last month with a cadre of activists calling themselves the `` Black at Park Organizing Collective . ''
The group demanded the school change its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also accused the school of inappropriate `` wealth hoarding '' and `` tolerance of Zionism '' —prompting Park School leaders to condemn the collective 's use of anti-Semitic language .
Former students calling themselves `` white alums to the Park community '' in an open letter this week scolded school headmaster Daniel Paradis for condemning the collective 's anti-Semitic rhetoric .
The alumni suggested that concerns about anti-Semitism are the product of `` far right '' media outlets , including the Washington Free Beacon , which first reported on the controversy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alums we stand in solidarity with them , doubling down on all of their demands with a renewed emphasis on the critical exploration of the links between Zionism , settler colonialism , and anti-Blackness , '' the alumni wrote in their open letter , which includes a link to the Free Beacon ‘ s report .
The unfolding controversy in Baltimore is playing out against the backdrop of nationwide protests by the Black Lives Matter movement against what it claims is systemic racial injustice .
These efforts have been marred by the prevalence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has not shied away from anti-Israel activism .
BLM activists across the nation have defaced Jewish establishments and feted notorious anti-Semites like Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan .
The Black at Park group 's initial September letter demanded `` an examination of Park 's history : its inception , early exclusions , culture of whiteness and wealth hoarding , its tolerance of Zionism , and its parasitic relationship to Baltimore City . ''
Park School headmaster Daniel Paradis , in a response to the activists , denounced the inclusion of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own right , rooted in hatred . ''
`` Specifically , I am referencing the use of pernicious anti-Semitic tropes that have been applied throughout history—and you now apply to Park 's history—including ‘ wealth hoarding , ' ‘ tolerance for Zionism , ' and ‘ parasitic relationship , ' '' Paradis wrote .
Paradis 's condemnation of this rhetoric prompted the group of white alumni to pen their own open letter defending the Black at Park Organizing Collective 's original statements .
`` As white alums we feel the need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's accusations and the failure of white Park students , parents and alums to be true allies to the Black Lives Matter movement , '' the group wrote in a letter currently circulating among Park School families and officials .
Among those who signed the letter are Vice editor Bernard Feinsod , Whole Foods employee Benjamin Redgrave , Baltimore public school teacher and union head Corey Gaber , filmmaker Margaret Rorison , and Annajane Yolken , executive director of a Rhode Island-based nonprofit .
The alumni accused Paradis of being `` backed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents , alums and board members . ''
Their letter includes harsh criticism of Israel , including the group 's explicit opposition to `` the creation of this homeland [ Israel ] by settlement on land already occupied by other people , ethnically cleansing Palestinians , [ and ] forcibly removing those people from their homes . ''
In defending the accusation of `` wealth hoarding , '' the alumni claimed the Park School `` shields their money from taxes that would serve the public good … by housing their funds in offshore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Park not only hoards its political connections for its own financially and geographically isolated community , it diverts public funds away from the segregated black Baltimore that it helped to create , '' the activists claimed .
They also denounced the school 's support for Israel , writing that `` Zionism is n't just tolerated at Park , it 's celebrated—and opposing perspectives are shunned by the curriculum and faculty . ''

A group of self-described "white alums" from a historically Jewish private school in Baltimore excoriated the institution's leadership this week after they condemned anti-Semitism from black students, alums, and parents who demanded the school implement a wide-ranging series of reforms.
Baltimore's Park School, which was founded in 1912 by Jews who were barred entry into the city's existing private schools, vowed to work in partnership last month with a cadre of activists calling themselves the "Black at Park Organizing Collective." The group demanded the school change its leadership, curriculum, and hiring practices. It also accused the school of inappropriate "wealth hoarding" and "tolerance of Zionism"—prompting Park School leaders to condemn the collective's use of anti-Semitic language.
Former students calling themselves "white alums to the Park community" in an open letter this week scolded school headmaster Daniel Paradis for condemning the collective's anti-Semitic rhetoric. The alumni suggested that concerns about anti-Semitism are the product of "far right" media outlets, including the Washington Free Beacon, which first reported on the controversy in early September. "As white alums we stand in solidarity with them, doubling down on all of their demands with a renewed emphasis on the critical exploration of the links between Zionism, settler colonialism, and anti-Blackness," the alumni wrote in their open letter, which includes a link to the Free Beacon's report.
The unfolding controversy in Baltimore is playing out against the backdrop of nationwide protests by the Black Lives Matter movement against what it claims is systemic racial injustice. These efforts have been marred by the prevalence of anti-Semitism in the BLM movement, which has not shied away from anti-Israel activism. BLM activists across the nation have defaced Jewish establishments and feted notorious anti-Semites like Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
The Black at Park group's initial September letter demanded "an examination of Park's history: its inception, early exclusions, culture of whiteness and wealth hoarding, its tolerance of Zionism, and its parasitic relationship to Baltimore City."
Park School headmaster Daniel Paradis, in a response to the activists, denounced the inclusion of "language and imagery that is, in its own right, rooted in hatred."
"Specifically, I am referencing the use of pernicious anti-Semitic tropes that have been applied throughout history—and you now apply to Park's history—including 'wealth hoarding,' 'tolerance for Zionism,' and 'parasitic relationship,'" Paradis wrote.
Paradis's condemnation of this rhetoric prompted the group of white alumni to pen their own open letter defending the Black at Park Organizing Collective's original statements.
"As white alums we feel the need to weigh in on the hollowness of Paradis's accusations and the failure of white Park students, parents and alums to be true allies to the Black Lives Matter movement," the group wrote in a letter currently circulating among Park School families and officials.
Among those who signed the letter are Vice editor Bernard Feinsod, Whole Foods employee Benjamin Redgrave, Baltimore public school teacher and union head Corey Gaber, filmmaker Margaret Rorison, and Annajane Yolken, executive director of a Rhode Island-based nonprofit.
The alumni accused Paradis of being "backed by a far right media outlet, white parents, alums and board members."
Their letter includes harsh criticism of Israel, including the group's explicit opposition to "the creation of this homeland [Israel] by settlement on land already occupied by other people, ethnically cleansing Palestinians, [and] forcibly removing those people from their homes."
In defending the accusation of "wealth hoarding," the alumni claimed the Park School "shields their money from taxes that would serve the public good … by housing their funds in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands."
"Park not only hoards its political connections for its own financially and geographically isolated community, it diverts public funds away from the segregated black Baltimore that it helped to create," the activists claimed.
They also denounced the school's support for Israel, writing that "Zionism isn't just tolerated at Park, it's celebrated—and opposing perspectives are shunned by the curriculum and faculty."


freebeacon--2020-10-05--CBS Correspondent Says North Korea is Safer Than White House

CBS News White House correspondent Ben Tracy tweeted that he felt reporting in North Korea was safer than reporting in the White House on Monday .
`` I felt safer reporting in North Korea than I currently do at the White House , '' Tracy said .
`` This is just crazy . ''
Tracy ’ s comments follow the infections of President Donald Trump , press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , senior counselor to the president Hope Hicks , and other officials who have spent time in the White House with the coronavirus .
Before reporting at the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reporting on nuclear weapons and trade between the two authoritarian regimes .
While reporting on the demolition of a North Korean nuclear weapons testing facility in 2018 , Tracy—the only American network correspondent invited to view the test site 's destruction—said that North Korean officials confiscated radiation-detecting devices upon journalists ' arrival in the country .
He said officials reassured reporters that they had never detected radiation emanating from the former testing facility .
The president , who was diagnosed on Thursday , tweeted Monday afternoon that he would be leaving Walter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receiving treatment .

CBS News White House correspondent Ben Tracy tweeted that he felt reporting in North Korea was safer than reporting in the White House on Monday.
"I felt safer reporting in North Korea than I currently do at the White House," Tracy said. "This is just crazy."
Tracy’s comments follow the infections of President Donald Trump, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, senior counselor to the president Hope Hicks, and other officials who have spent time in the White House with the coronavirus.
Before reporting at the White House, Tracy covered North Korea and China, reporting on nuclear weapons and trade between the two authoritarian regimes. While reporting on the demolition of a North Korean nuclear weapons testing facility in 2018, Tracy—the only American network correspondent invited to view the test site's destruction—said that North Korean officials confiscated radiation-detecting devices upon journalists' arrival in the country. He said officials reassured reporters that they had never detected radiation emanating from the former testing facility.
The president, who was diagnosed on Thursday, tweeted Monday afternoon that he would be leaving Walter Reed Medical Center later that day after receiving treatment.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Georgia Dem Senate Candidate Called Death Penalty ‘Final Failsafe of White Supremacy’

Georgia Democratic Senate hopeful Raphael Warnock called the death penalty the `` final failsafe of white supremacy '' in a 2013 speech .
`` The death penalty reemerged as part of a conservative backlash in the years immediately following the civil-rights movement , '' he said at the launch of the Kairos Center , a social-justice organization .
`` In a real sense , it is the final failsafe of white supremacy , for the data clearly show that its use ensures that in the final analysis , the lives of white people are to be regarded as more valuable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' White inmates , however , have made up the majority of executions conducted in the United States since 1976 , according to the Death Penalty Information Center .
The proportion of executed black inmates ( 33.9 percent ) also tracks with their share of the national inmate population ( 38.5 percent , according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons ) .
Warnock , the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church , is a staunch opponent of capital punishment and drew national attention for his advocacy on behalf of Georgia death row inmate Troy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being convicted of murdering an off-duty Savannah police officer in 1989 .
Warnock called him an `` innocent man , '' pointing to supposed recantations by eyewitnesses .
A district judge who reviewed whether a jury would have reasonably acquitted him based on new statements , however , concluded only one of the seven `` recantations '' was legitimate and found Davis 's evidence to be `` smoke and mirrors . ''
Legal director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation Kent Scheidegger said Warnock 's advocacy in the case reflected poorly on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senator .
`` A candidate who pays more attention to the hype generated by the anti-death-penalty lobby 's PR machine than he does to the facts as found after a full hearing before a neutral judge does not seem to me to have the potential to be a good lawmaker , '' he told the Washington Free Beacon .
From his pulpit at Ebenezer in 2012 , Warnock also attacked Christians who support capital punishment .
`` I ’ m afraid the word justice has fallen out of the American Christian lexicon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
`` That ’ s how people can worship God on Sunday and break out in applause the next week when they hear how many people have been executed . ''
Warnock 's campaign had no comment .
Warnock has made other controversial remarks in politically charged sermons .
He said in 2015 that police acted like thugs and gangsters who put children in danger .
Last month , he invited a Texas preacher who supports defunding police and has praised bigoted Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to virtually address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat in the special jungle election for Sen. Kelly Loeffler 's ( R. , Ga. ) seat , which appears headed for a January runoff in the likely event no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote .
Polling shows a tight race between him , Loeffler , and Rep. Doug Collins ( R. , Ga. ) as they try to finish in the top two and advance to the runoff .
A Democrat has not won a U.S. Senate race in Georgia since 2000 .
Loeffler supports the death penalty for convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump .

Georgia Democratic Senate hopeful Raphael Warnock called the death penalty the "final failsafe of white supremacy" in a 2013 speech.
"The death penalty reemerged as part of a conservative backlash in the years immediately following the civil-rights movement," he said at the launch of the Kairos Center, a social-justice organization. "In a real sense, it is the final failsafe of white supremacy, for the data clearly show that its use ensures that in the final analysis, the lives of white people are to be regarded as more valuable than the lives of black people."
White inmates, however, have made up the majority of executions conducted in the United States since 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. The proportion of executed black inmates (33.9 percent) also tracks with their share of the national inmate population (38.5 percent, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons).
Warnock, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, is a staunch opponent of capital punishment and drew national attention for his advocacy on behalf of Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis. Davis was executed in 2011 after being convicted of murdering an off-duty Savannah police officer in 1989. Warnock called him an "innocent man," pointing to supposed recantations by eyewitnesses. A district judge who reviewed whether a jury would have reasonably acquitted him based on new statements, however, concluded only one of the seven "recantations" was legitimate and found Davis's evidence to be "smoke and mirrors."
Legal director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation Kent Scheidegger said Warnock's advocacy in the case reflected poorly on how he would perform as a U.S. senator.
"A candidate who pays more attention to the hype generated by the anti-death-penalty lobby's PR machine than he does to the facts as found after a full hearing before a neutral judge does not seem to me to have the potential to be a good lawmaker," he told the Washington Free Beacon.
From his pulpit at Ebenezer in 2012, Warnock also attacked Christians who support capital punishment.
"I’m afraid the word justice has fallen out of the American Christian lexicon," he said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "That’s how people can worship God on Sunday and break out in applause the next week when they hear how many people have been executed."
Warnock's campaign had no comment.
Warnock has made other controversial remarks in politically charged sermons. He said in 2015 that police acted like thugs and gangsters who put children in danger. Last month, he invited a Texas preacher who supports defunding police and has praised bigoted Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to virtually address his congregation.
Warnock is the top Democrat in the special jungle election for Sen. Kelly Loeffler's (R., Ga.) seat, which appears headed for a January runoff in the likely event no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote. Polling shows a tight race between him, Loeffler, and Rep. Doug Collins (R., Ga.) as they try to finish in the top two and advance to the runoff. A Democrat has not won a U.S. Senate race in Georgia since 2000.
Loeffler supports the death penalty for convicted cop killers, as does Collins and President Donald Trump.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Michigan AG Will No Longer Enforce Governor’s Coronavirus Restrictions

Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel ( D. ) will stop enforcing Governor Gretchen Whitmer 's ( D. ) coronavirus regulations , according to a statement released Sunday .
Nessel tweeted the announcement just days after the state Supreme Court ruled that Whitmer 's repeated extension of emergency authority was unconstitutional .
While the attorney general will no longer prosecute those who violate Whitmer 's orders , Nessel praised the governor for implementing the regulations and encouraged Michiganders to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing .
`` It 's [ the attorney general 's ] hope that people continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer put in place , '' Nessel press secretary Ryan Jarvi said in the statement .
`` If it were n't for the governor 's actions , countless more of our friends , family , and neighbors would have been lost to COVID-19 . ''
The Michigan Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Friday that Whitmer violated the state constitution by issuing emergency declarations beyond April 30 .
In a related decision , the judges also found that Whitmer 's numerous executive orders were unconstitutional because they usurped lawmaking power from the state legislature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slew of regulations throughout the coronavirus pandemic .
The governor at one point banned stores from selling paint and plants and banned the use of motorized boats .
Weeks after the order , Whitmer 's own husband allegedly tried to flout the governor 's restrictions and leverage his clout with a docking company to get his boat launched for Memorial Day weekend .
In August , the Justice Department asked Whitmer to turn over data on coronavirus deaths that occurred in nursing homes , as a state order that required care facilities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
More than 2,000 patients in long-term care facilities died of coronavirus , counting for about 29 percent of the state 's 7,125 coronavirus deaths .
As of Monday , the state has had more than 128,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus .

Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel (D.) will stop enforcing Governor Gretchen Whitmer's (D.) coronavirus regulations, according to a statement released Sunday.
Nessel tweeted the announcement just days after the state Supreme Court ruled that Whitmer's repeated extension of emergency authority was unconstitutional. While the attorney general will no longer prosecute those who violate Whitmer's orders, Nessel praised the governor for implementing the regulations and encouraged Michiganders to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.
"It's [the attorney general's] hope that people continue to abide by the measures that Governor Whitmer put in place," Nessel press secretary Ryan Jarvi said in the statement. "If it weren't for the governor's actions, countless more of our friends, family, and neighbors would have been lost to COVID-19."
The Michigan Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Friday that Whitmer violated the state constitution by issuing emergency declarations beyond April 30. In a related decision, the judges also found that Whitmer's numerous executive orders were unconstitutional because they usurped lawmaking power from the state legislature.
Whitmer and her administration issued a slew of regulations throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The governor at one point banned stores from selling paint and plants and banned the use of motorized boats. Weeks after the order, Whitmer's own husband allegedly tried to flout the governor's restrictions and leverage his clout with a docking company to get his boat launched for Memorial Day weekend.
In August, the Justice Department asked Whitmer to turn over data on coronavirus deaths that occurred in nursing homes, as a state order that required care facilities to readmit patients with coronavirus could have exacerbated deaths. More than 2,000 patients in long-term care facilities died of coronavirus, counting for about 29 percent of the state's 7,125 coronavirus deaths. As of Monday, the state has had more than 128,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--GOP Sen. Ron Johnson: ‘I’ll Go in a Moon Suit’ to Confirm Barrett

Sen. Ron Johnson ( R. , Wis. ) said he would vote for Judge Amy Coney Barrett 's confirmation to the Supreme Court in a moon suit if necessary , testifying to the resolve of Senate Republicans to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's seat .
Johnson is one of three Republican senators who have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days .
`` If we have to go in and vote , I 've already told leadership , I 'll go in in a moon suit , '' Johnson told Denver radio host Ross Kaminsky .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` People can be fairly confident that Mitch McConnell is dedicated to holding this vote , '' the senator added .
Elsewhere in the interview , Johnson said that he feels normal and has not experienced any symptoms .
`` There is a long and venerable tradition of ill or medically infirm senators being wheeled in to cast critical votes on the Senate floor , '' Cotton said .
He noted that Sen. Robert Byrd ( D. , W. Va. ) was repeatedly brought to the chamber in a wheelchair to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before he died .
Two Republican lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee , Sens .
Mike Lee ( R. , Utah ) and Thom Tillis ( R. , N.C. ) , are also in quarantine after testing positive for the virus .
That could trip up the committee process , since the rules require that a certain number of senators be present to advance a nomination , and Democrats have indicated they will not help Republicans meet that threshold .
One outside adviser proposed a creative workaround to the Washington Free Beacon , suggesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate chamber .
That would allow sick senators to cast votes from the gallery at a safe distance from their committee colleagues on the Senate floor .

Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) said he would vote for Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court in a moon suit if necessary, testifying to the resolve of Senate Republicans to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's seat.
Johnson is one of three Republican senators who have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days.
"If we have to go in and vote, I've already told leadership, I'll go in in a moon suit," Johnson told Denver radio host Ross Kaminsky. "We think this is pretty important."
"People can be fairly confident that Mitch McConnell is dedicated to holding this vote," the senator added. Elsewhere in the interview, Johnson said that he feels normal and has not experienced any symptoms.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) sounded a similar note in a Sunday interview on Fox News.
"There is a long and venerable tradition of ill or medically infirm senators being wheeled in to cast critical votes on the Senate floor," Cotton said. He noted that Sen. Robert Byrd (D., W. Va.) was repeatedly brought to the chamber in a wheelchair to help pass the Affordable Care Act months before he died.
Two Republican lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee, Sens. Mike Lee (R., Utah) and Thom Tillis (R., N.C.), are also in quarantine after testing positive for the virus. That could trip up the committee process, since the rules require that a certain number of senators be present to advance a nomination, and Democrats have indicated they will not help Republicans meet that threshold.
One outside adviser proposed a creative workaround to the Washington Free Beacon, suggesting that the committee could convene in the Senate chamber. That would allow sick senators to cast votes from the gallery at a safe distance from their committee colleagues on the Senate floor.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Pompeo Affirms Pro-Life Foreign Policy in Florida Speech

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo affirmed America ’ s commitment to a foreign policy that honors human dignity and inalienable rights in a speech to the Florida Family Policy Council on Saturday .
The speech touched on a number of topics central to human dignity , including abortion , America ’ s history of human-rights promotion , and the China challenge .
`` If you go back and read the Federalist Papers , it ’ s pretty clear : Our Founders knew God himself grants all human beings a very essential dignity , '' Pompeo told listeners .
`` And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department are exceptional because we use our power—our foreign policy power—to honor that dignity , when so many countries choose to execute their power and use their power in far different ways . ''
Pompeo said the Trump administration ’ s efforts to align American foreign policy with founding principles related to human dignity have been `` unprecedented '' in American history across a variety of policy areas .
Under the Trump administration , Washington has abided by the Mexico City Policy , which forbids American funding from going toward any organization funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such organization is the United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA ) , which the State Department found complicit in population control measures in China .
The 2020 Democratic national platform includes a call to rejoin the UNFPA .
Pompeo cited other examples of pro-life foreign policy under the current administration , including some more directly tied to diplomacy .
Pompeo said that by assassinating Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , America has protected the free practice of inalienable rights at home .
The recent and historic Abraham Accords @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thereby protecting life , Pompeo added .
As organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights Council catch criticism for their bias against Israel and tolerance of human-rights abuses in other nations , the current administration has developed new ways for countries to implement effective human-rights policy that fits within their own cultures and traditions .
One such step toward this end is the report of the State Department 's Commission of Unalienable Rights published in July 2020 .
Pompeo also argued that the China challenge is a major roadblock in the human-rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority groups within China such as Uighur Muslims or Chinese Christians , the Chinese Communist Party commits `` staggering abuses '' of religious freedom , Pompeo said .
`` We in the Trump administration have spoken up about these abuses , '' Pompeo said .
`` We ’ ve taken action against those responsible .
And importantly , we ’ ve rallied our friends and allies around the world to do the same .
We ’ ve not led from behind—we ’ ve led from the front on this incredibly important moral issue @ @

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo affirmed America’s commitment to a foreign policy that honors human dignity and inalienable rights in a speech to the Florida Family Policy Council on Saturday.
The speech touched on a number of topics central to human dignity, including abortion, America’s history of human-rights promotion, and the China challenge.
"If you go back and read the Federalist Papers, it’s pretty clear: Our Founders knew God himself grants all human beings a very essential dignity," Pompeo told listeners. "And we as a nation and our State Department are exceptional because we use our power—our foreign policy power—to honor that dignity, when so many countries choose to execute their power and use their power in far different ways."
Pompeo said the Trump administration’s efforts to align American foreign policy with founding principles related to human dignity have been "unprecedented" in American history across a variety of policy areas.
Under the Trump administration, Washington has abided by the Mexico City Policy, which forbids American funding from going toward any organization funding abortion or family planning abroad.
One such organization is the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which the State Department found complicit in population control measures in China. The 2020 Democratic national platform includes a call to rejoin the UNFPA.
Pompeo cited other examples of pro-life foreign policy under the current administration, including some more directly tied to diplomacy. Pompeo said that by assassinating Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, America has protected the free practice of inalienable rights at home. The recent and historic Abraham Accords were also meant to limit conflict, thereby protecting life, Pompeo added.
As organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights Council catch criticism for their bias against Israel and tolerance of human-rights abuses in other nations, the current administration has developed new ways for countries to implement effective human-rights policy that fits within their own cultures and traditions. One such step toward this end is the report of the State Department's Commission of Unalienable Rights published in July 2020.
Pompeo also argued that the China challenge is a major roadblock in the human-rights agenda. By stifling religious freedom for minority groups within China such as Uighur Muslims or Chinese Christians, the Chinese Communist Party commits "staggering abuses" of religious freedom, Pompeo said.
"We in the Trump administration have spoken up about these abuses," Pompeo said. "We’ve taken action against those responsible. And importantly, we’ve rallied our friends and allies around the world to do the same. We’ve not led from behind—we’ve led from the front on this incredibly important moral issue."


freebeacon--2020-10-05--SCOTUS Startles Liberals As It Rebuffs Clerk Who Withheld Marriage Licenses From Gay Couples

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito renewed their criticisms of the Supreme Court 's 2015 gay marriage decision on Monday , as the High Court announced that it would not get involved with a lawsuit from two gay couples against Kim Davis , the Kentucky clerk who refused to heed the ruling due to religious scruples .
Davis became a national figure and spent five days in jail after she refused to issue marriage licenses to gay applicants despite the Supreme Court 's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges , which legalized same-sex marriage .
Thomas , joined by Alito , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case shows how the gay marriage ruling left orthodox religious believers in the lurch , since it established marriage equality nationwide without carveouts for religious objectors .
Nonetheless , the pair agreed that the Court should not take up the Davis case .
Their opinion immediately fed leftwing anxieties about the direction of the judiciary , already aggravated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's death .
It will likely get play in the upcoming confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett , who is widely perceived to be a social conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually in any danger is doubtful .
In June , two of the conservative justices joined with their liberal colleagues to deliver a landmark LGBT rights decision , and Monday 's opinion calls nowhere for the 2015 ruling to be overturned .
Still , it fixed attention on what Thomas called Obergefell ‘ s `` ruinous consequences for religious liberty . ''
`` Davis may have been one of the first victims of this Court 's cavalier treatment of religion in its Obergefell decision , but she will not be the last .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ held religious beliefs concerning marriage will find it increasingly difficult to participate in society without running afoul of Obergefell and its effect on other antidiscrimination laws , '' the opinion reads .
The plaintiff gay couples unsuccessfully sought marriage licenses from Davis 's office in 2015 , so they sued her under a civil-rights law in federal court .
Davis argues that she is protected by a legal rule called qualified immunity , which shields government agents from most lawsuits when they are doing their jobs .
The Sixth U.S .
Circuit Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Supreme Court .
`` This case is not about whom a person may marry under Kentucky law , whether Kentucky must license the marriage of a same-sex couple , or even whether [ the gay couples ] could obtain a Kentucky marriage license when they wanted one .
Nor is this case about a county clerk who wanted to re-litigate this Court 's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges , '' Davis 's petition reads .
`` Justices Thomas and Alito renewed their war on LGBTQ rights and marriage equality , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Human Rights Campaign president Alphonso David .
`` Joined by a potential new far-right anti-equality extremist Amy Coney Barrett , the Court could significantly water down what marriage equality means for LGBTQ couples across the nation . ''
The justices are slated to hear a case involving LGBT couples and a religious adoption agency on Nov. 4 , the morning after the presidential election .
The dispute arose when the city of Philadelphia stopped referring foster children to Catholic Social Services ( CSS ) , because CSS does not place children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big enough on its own , but the Court 's decision could have even greater consequences .
CSS is also asking the Court to revisit a 1990 decision that holds that laws may not be challenged on religious freedom grounds provided they are neutral and apply to everybody .
Four conservative justices indicated they are willing to reconsider that ruling in a 2019 opinion .
The American Civil Liberties Union looked ahead to November 's case in a statement condemning Monday 's opinion .
`` Our government could not function if everyone doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own rules .
That 's exactly what 's at stake in a case that will be argued on Nov. 4—Fulton v. City of Philadelphia , '' said the ACLU 's James Esseks .
`` We will fight against any attempts to open the door to legalized discrimination against LGBTQ people . ''
Barrett could join the Court in time to participate in the Fulton case assuming Republicans keep to their confirmation schedule , which was on pace for a final vote in late October .
That timeline has been thrown into question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , while others who tested negative are quarantining due to possible exposure to the virus .
Senate Republicans are nonetheless signaling that her confirmation process is on track , though they have no margin for error .
Barrett will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for several days starting Oct. 12 .

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito renewed their criticisms of the Supreme Court's 2015 gay marriage decision on Monday, as the High Court announced that it would not get involved with a lawsuit from two gay couples against Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to heed the ruling due to religious scruples.
Davis became a national figure and spent five days in jail after she refused to issue marriage licenses to gay applicants despite the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage. Thomas, joined by Alito, wrote separately to argue that Davis's case shows how the gay marriage ruling left orthodox religious believers in the lurch, since it established marriage equality nationwide without carveouts for religious objectors. Nonetheless, the pair agreed that the Court should not take up the Davis case.
Their opinion immediately fed leftwing anxieties about the direction of the judiciary, already aggravated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death. It will likely get play in the upcoming confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is widely perceived to be a social conservative. That the gay marriage decision is actually in any danger is doubtful. In June, two of the conservative justices joined with their liberal colleagues to deliver a landmark LGBT rights decision, and Monday's opinion calls nowhere for the 2015 ruling to be overturned. Still, it fixed attention on what Thomas called Obergefell's "ruinous consequences for religious liberty."
"Davis may have been one of the first victims of this Court's cavalier treatment of religion in its Obergefell decision, but she will not be the last. Due to Obergefell, those with sincerely held religious beliefs concerning marriage will find it increasingly difficult to participate in society without running afoul of Obergefell and its effect on other antidiscrimination laws," the opinion reads.
The plaintiff gay couples unsuccessfully sought marriage licenses from Davis's office in 2015, so they sued her under a civil-rights law in federal court. Davis argues that she is protected by a legal rule called qualified immunity, which shields government agents from most lawsuits when they are doing their jobs. The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, so Davis appealed to the Supreme Court.
"This case is not about whom a person may marry under Kentucky law, whether Kentucky must license the marriage of a same-sex couple, or even whether [the gay couples] could obtain a Kentucky marriage license when they wanted one. Nor is this case about a county clerk who wanted to re-litigate this Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges," Davis's petition reads.
Liberals nonetheless saw Monday's opinion as a five-alarm fire.
"Justices Thomas and Alito renewed their war on LGBTQ rights and marriage equality, as the Court hangs in the balance," said Human Rights Campaign president Alphonso David. "Joined by a potential new far-right anti-equality extremist Amy Coney Barrett, the Court could significantly water down what marriage equality means for LGBTQ couples across the nation."
The justices are slated to hear a case involving LGBT couples and a religious adoption agency on Nov. 4, the morning after the presidential election. The dispute arose when the city of Philadelphia stopped referring foster children to Catholic Social Services (CSS), because CSS does not place children with gay couples.
That controversy is big enough on its own, but the Court's decision could have even greater consequences. CSS is also asking the Court to revisit a 1990 decision that holds that laws may not be challenged on religious freedom grounds provided they are neutral and apply to everybody. Four conservative justices indicated they are willing to reconsider that ruling in a 2019 opinion.
The American Civil Liberties Union looked ahead to November's case in a statement condemning Monday's opinion.
"Our government could not function if everyone doing the government's business got to pick their own rules. That's exactly what's at stake in a case that will be argued on Nov. 4—Fulton v. City of Philadelphia," said the ACLU's James Esseks. "We will fight against any attempts to open the door to legalized discrimination against LGBTQ people."
Barrett could join the Court in time to participate in the Fulton case assuming Republicans keep to their confirmation schedule, which was on pace for a final vote in late October. That timeline has been thrown into question after three Republican lawmakers tested positive for COVID-19, while others who tested negative are quarantining due to possible exposure to the virus. Senate Republicans are nonetheless signaling that her confirmation process is on track, though they have no margin for error. Barrett will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee for several days starting Oct. 12.
Davis v. Ermold Thomas and ... by Washington Free Beacon


freebeacon--2020-10-05--University of Kentucky Segregates Residential Assistant Training by Race

The University of Kentucky segregated its residential assistant diversity training by race , separating white and non-white RAs into separate groups .
According to an email obtained by the Young America 's Foundation , the University of Kentucky conducted two training sessions , `` one for [ resident assistants ] who identify as Black , Indigenous , Person of Color [ sic ] and one for RAs who identify as White . ''
The sessions were hosted by the university 's Bias Incident Support Services and addressed `` microaggressions and microinvalidations '' in the workplace .
Residential assistants—commonly dubbed RAs—are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university dorms .
The training for white RAs was called the `` White Accountability Space , '' while the training for non-white RAs was called `` Healing Space for Staff of Color . ''
The White Accountability Space came with supplemental materials based on the book ...
But I 'm Not Racist !
by Dr. Kathy Obear , a white woman who claims she `` has helped thousands of whites find the courage to challenge and change the dynamics of racism in their organizations . ''
According to the training , racist attitudes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earned what they have ; that the problems faced by people of color have `` perfectly logical explanations '' ; and that the `` good intent '' of whites outweighs the negative impact of their behavior .
Before the segregated breakout programming , RAs attended a lecture by Brandon Colbert , a member of the school 's Bias Incident Support Services .
Colbert has a track record of making anti-American statements , including a Twitter thread in which Colbert calls the national anthem , Columbus Day , Independence Day , the police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Kentucky spokesman confirmed that RAs participated in breakout sessions around `` particular topics of interest '' but declined to comment on the segregated portion of the training .
The University of Kentucky 's office of residential life did not respond to requests for comment .

The University of Kentucky segregated its residential assistant diversity training by race, separating white and non-white RAs into separate groups.
According to an email obtained by the Young America's Foundation, the University of Kentucky conducted two training sessions, "one for [resident assistants] who identify as Black, Indigenous, Person of Color [sic] and one for RAs who identify as White." The sessions were hosted by the university's Bias Incident Support Services and addressed "microaggressions and microinvalidations" in the workplace. Residential assistants—commonly dubbed RAs—are subsidized student volunteers who keep tabs on university dorms.
The training for white RAs was called the "White Accountability Space," while the training for non-white RAs was called "Healing Space for Staff of Color." The White Accountability Space came with supplemental materials based on the book ...But I'm Not Racist! by Dr. Kathy Obear, a white woman who claims she "has helped thousands of whites find the courage to challenge and change the dynamics of racism in their organizations."
According to the training, racist attitudes include the belief that white individuals have earned what they have; that the problems faced by people of color have "perfectly logical explanations"; and that the "good intent" of whites outweighs the negative impact of their behavior.
Before the segregated breakout programming, RAs attended a lecture by Brandon Colbert, a member of the school's Bias Incident Support Services. Colbert has a track record of making anti-American statements, including a Twitter thread in which Colbert calls the national anthem, Columbus Day, Independence Day, the police, and the American flag racist.
A University of Kentucky spokesman confirmed that RAs participated in breakout sessions around "particular topics of interest" but declined to comment on the segregated portion of the training.
The University of Kentucky's office of residential life did not respond to requests for comment.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--ANALYSIS: Biden’s Reluctance to Contract COVID-19 Highlights ‘Experience Gap’ Between Candidates

President Donald J. Trump 's willingness to confront the China Virus ( aka COVID-19 ) head-on as commander in chief is yet another example of the vast `` experience gap '' between the 2020 candidates , according to the results of a Washington Free Beacon analysis .
The courageous leadership Trump has displayed in his successful quest to defeat the virus stands in stark contrast to Democratic candidate Joe Biden 's timid refusal to engage the virus in personal combat .
As Trump 's campaign correctly pointed out on Monday , the president 's `` firsthand '' experience fighting off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Trump is more qualified to lead the country .
The `` experience gap '' between the two candidates was already plenty large when Trump announced his COVID-19 diagnosis last week .
Biden has never served as president , unlike Trump .
Biden has never been a successful businessman , unlike Trump .
Biden has never saved college football , unlike Trump .
Biden has never defeated ISIS , unlike Trump .
Biden has never brought peace to the Middle East , unlike Trump .
`` Listen , he has experience as commander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a businessman , he has experience , now , fighting the coronavirus as an individual , '' Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine said on Fox News .
`` Those firsthand experiences : Joe Biden , he doesn ’ t have those . ''
CNN 's resident fact-checking aficionado , Daniel Dale , promoted Perrine 's quote on his Twitter account .
Notably , he did not challenge or attempt to `` fact check '' her assertions , which were undeniably true .
In fact , Biden 's lack of firsthand experience with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden heading into the second presidential debate later this month .
America deserves a leader who is n't afraid to stand up to killers , who has looked death in the face and said , `` not today , punk . ''
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi could n't hide from Trump , and neither could the China Virus .
Trump contracted the virus while performing his leadership duties as president , whereas Biden has remained in hiding , doing `` debate prep , '' and playing `` Despacito '' on his phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that voters consider important in a president , Trump is the clear choice .
Biden could still win , however , if voters decide they would prefer an older , untested candidate .
The American people should ask themselves a simple question : If Joe Biden wo n't stand up to COVID-19 , how will he ever stand up to Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping ?

President Donald J. Trump's willingness to confront the China Virus (aka COVID-19) head-on as commander in chief is yet another example of the vast "experience gap" between the 2020 candidates, according to the results of a Washington Free Beacon analysis.
The courageous leadership Trump has displayed in his successful quest to defeat the virus stands in stark contrast to Democratic candidate Joe Biden's timid refusal to engage the virus in personal combat. As Trump's campaign correctly pointed out on Monday, the president's "firsthand" experience fighting off COVID-19 is one of many ways in which Trump is more qualified to lead the country.
The "experience gap" between the two candidates was already plenty large when Trump announced his COVID-19 diagnosis last week. Biden has never served as president, unlike Trump. Biden has never been a successful businessman, unlike Trump. Biden has never saved college football, unlike Trump. Biden has never defeated ISIS, unlike Trump. Biden has never brought peace to the Middle East, unlike Trump.
"Listen, he has experience as commander in chief, he has experience as a businessman, he has experience, now, fighting the coronavirus as an individual," Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine said on Fox News. "Those firsthand experiences: Joe Biden, he doesn’t have those."
CNN's resident fact-checking aficionado, Daniel Dale, promoted Perrine's quote on his Twitter account. Notably, he did not challenge or attempt to "fact check" her assertions, which were undeniably true. In fact, Biden's lack of firsthand experience with the virus could be a significant vulnerability for Biden heading into the second presidential debate later this month.
America deserves a leader who isn't afraid to stand up to killers, who has looked death in the face and said, "not today, punk." ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi couldn't hide from Trump, and neither could the China Virus. Trump contracted the virus while performing his leadership duties as president, whereas Biden has remained in hiding, doing "debate prep," and playing "Despacito" on his phone.
If leadership and experience are qualities that voters consider important in a president, Trump is the clear choice. Biden could still win, however, if voters decide they would prefer an older, untested candidate. The American people should ask themselves a simple question: If Joe Biden won't stand up to COVID-19, how will he ever stand up to Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping?


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Pennsylvania IT Outage Blocks Voters From Requesting Ballots Online

An IT outage in Pennsylvania disrupted online voter registration and requests for mail-in voting ballots this weekend .
Equipment failure at a contracted data center interrupted election , voting , and other online services through the Pennsylvania State Department from Saturday evening through Monday morning .
The problem comes just one month before November ’ s general election—and amid heated debate over the efficacy of mail-in voting .
The state department said in a press release on Sunday that voters could still print out their mail-in ballot requests or request their ballots over the phone .
Counties continued to process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and voting services were restored by 9:30 a.m. Monday .
Other services through the state department , including state licensing , are still down as of Monday afternoon .
Mail-in ballot requests are piling up in Pennsylvania , a battleground state , largely due to health concerns during the coronavirus pandemic .
In Lawrence County , ballot requests are up 400 percent .
And Butler County election officials are processing 40,000 ballot applications .
While some mainstream media outlets continue to label problems with mail-in voting as a hoax , federal investigators are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine ballots were found in a dumpster in Luzerne County—seven of which were cast for President Donald Trump .
More than 3 million voters in the state are expected to vote by mail for the election on November 3 .

An IT outage in Pennsylvania disrupted online voter registration and requests for mail-in voting ballots this weekend.
Equipment failure at a contracted data center interrupted election, voting, and other online services through the Pennsylvania State Department from Saturday evening through Monday morning. The problem comes just one month before November’s general election—and amid heated debate over the efficacy of mail-in voting.
The state department said in a press release on Sunday that voters could still print out their mail-in ballot requests or request their ballots over the phone. Counties continued to process applications previously received before the outage, and voting services were restored by 9:30 a.m. Monday. Other services through the state department, including state licensing, are still down as of Monday afternoon.
Mail-in ballot requests are piling up in Pennsylvania, a battleground state, largely due to health concerns during the coronavirus pandemic. In Lawrence County, ballot requests are up 400 percent. And Butler County election officials are processing 40,000 ballot applications.
While some mainstream media outlets continue to label problems with mail-in voting as a hoax, federal investigators are looking into another incident in Pennsylvania where nine ballots were found in a dumpster in Luzerne County—seven of which were cast for President Donald Trump. More than 3 million voters in the state are expected to vote by mail for the election on November 3.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Ex-CCP Official Set TikTok Policy, Report Says

TikTok employed a Chinese ex-diplomat to oversee the content allowed on its app during some of its highest growth stages , the Financial Times reported Sunday .
Cai Zheng , a Chinese Communist Party diplomat formerly based in Iran , led TikTok ’ s global content policy team until early this year .
Based in Beijing , Cai was part of a TikTok leadership group that drafted guidelines for the types of content users could post to the app .
Cai ’ s time at the company also coincided with robust criticism against TikTok ’ s censorship policies .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that TikTok actively guided moderators to ensure posts by creators considered ugly , disabled , or expressing opinions that run afoul of Communist Party doctrine would not reach wide audiences .
Moderators were tasked with banning users who posted content potentially `` endangering national security '' or `` national honor and interests '' or created content that promoted the `` uglification or distortion of local or other countries ' history , '' according to the document .
Topics such as the Tiananmen Square massacre , Uighur camps , Tibetan genocide , and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the app .
ByteDance , the managing company for TikTok , denies any connection with Beijing elites involved in the CCP .
The Trump administration , however , has demanded the sale of TikTok to a U.S. company as it becomes increasingly clear that TikTok engages in data theft , particularly from American teens .
While judges have blocked the directive , the White House has also tried to ban updates to the app on American platforms .
`` TikTok basically allows the Chinese Communist Party to spy on our children , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for economic growth , energy , and the environment , told the Washington Free Beacon .
Newly obtained CCP documents show an increased interest in controlling private enterprise , particularly in the technology sector .
CCP planners hope to `` improve the selection mechanism '' for tech leaders , rendering them more loyal to party ideals and interests .
The sale of the Chinese social media app is still under review by policymakers .
In August , reporters from Axios , the New York Times , and Vogue , among other outlets , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale by defending the app .

TikTok employed a Chinese ex-diplomat to oversee the content allowed on its app during some of its highest growth stages, the Financial Times reported Sunday.
Cai Zheng, a Chinese Communist Party diplomat formerly based in Iran, led TikTok’s global content policy team until early this year. Based in Beijing, Cai was part of a TikTok leadership group that drafted guidelines for the types of content users could post to the app.
Cai’s time at the company also coincided with robust criticism against TikTok’s censorship policies. A memo obtained by reporters in March showed that TikTok actively guided moderators to ensure posts by creators considered ugly, disabled, or expressing opinions that run afoul of Communist Party doctrine would not reach wide audiences.
Moderators were tasked with banning users who posted content potentially "endangering national security" or "national honor and interests" or created content that promoted the "uglification or distortion of local or other countries' history," according to the document.
Topics such as the Tiananmen Square massacre, Uighur camps, Tibetan genocide, and other topics delegitimizing the CCP are regularly suppressed on the app.
ByteDance, the managing company for TikTok, denies any connection with Beijing elites involved in the CCP. The Trump administration, however, has demanded the sale of TikTok to a U.S. company as it becomes increasingly clear that TikTok engages in data theft, particularly from American teens. While judges have blocked the directive, the White House has also tried to ban updates to the app on American platforms.
"TikTok basically allows the Chinese Communist Party to spy on our children," Keith Krach, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment, told the Washington Free Beacon.
Newly obtained CCP documents show an increased interest in controlling private enterprise, particularly in the technology sector. CCP planners hope to "improve the selection mechanism" for tech leaders, rendering them more loyal to party ideals and interests.
The sale of the Chinese social media app is still under review by policymakers. In August, reporters from Axios, the New York Times, and Vogue, among other outlets, reacted to the news of a potential sale by defending the app.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--Experts Say Barrett Supreme Court Confirmation Could Revolutionize Gun Litigation

Legal scholars say Amy Coney Barrett 's judicial philosophy could settle legal stalemates and disagreements that have seen lower federal courts deliver a variety of rulings on gun rights .
Barrett 's adoption of what experts refer to as a `` text , history and tradition '' philosophy—which relies on the text and historic applications of the Second Amendment , rather than the applications of `` balancing tests '' of individual rights and government interest to determine whether or not a gun law is constitutional—could be revolutionary for Second Amendment cases .
`` In practice , the Court ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and tradition ' test would mean a lot of previously settled circuit precedent gets unsettled , '' Jacob D. Charles , executive director of Duke University 's Center for Firearms Law , told the Washington Free Beacon .
In 2019 's Kanter v. Barr , Barrett argued in a dissent that `` all people have the right to keep and bear arms but that history and tradition support Congress ’ s power to strip certain groups of that right . ''
After studying founding-era documents , Barrett concluded that nonviolent felons should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions that apply to violent criminals .
Mark W. Smith , presidential scholar and senior fellow in law and public policy at the King ’ s College in New York City , told the Free Beacon the approach favored by Barrett is in stark contrast to the balancing tests lower courts have employed in the past .
`` Balancing tests are favored by the liberal justices and left-leaning lower courts because they serve as an easy excuse for eliminating the right to possess and use firearms , '' he said .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety ' without any empirical support and to deny constitutional rights carte blanche .
These balancing tests allow judges to pay lip service to the Second Amendment while eroding this most fundamental individual right . ''
Gun-rights advocates have complained for years that lower courts have improperly upheld restrictions on assault weapons and magazines , as well as gun registration requirements , despite the Supreme Court 's landmark Heller ruling , which struck down Washington , D.C. 's handgun ban in 2008 .
The Court expanded that ruling from state to local gun-control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken one other Second Amendment case since that time , leaving lower courts free to interpret gun-rights protections .
Barrett 's application of the `` text , history , and tradition '' doctrine , as well as her public comments noting the lack of recent Supreme Court gun cases—which four of the five Republican-appointed members of the Court have complained about publicly—indicate that the Court may finally begin settling open questions about gun rights , according to Cato Institute legal scholar Walter Olson .
`` I 'd say if you applaud that approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to in a Justice Barrett , '' Olson said .
`` Lower courts that want to take gun law off in other directions will need to be aware that their decisions will have to get past a review by a whole gauntlet of informed originalist justices . ''
Barrett is not the only Trump nominee who has embraced a `` text , history , and tradition '' approach to gun-rights cases .
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh used similar reasoning to argue that Washington , D.C. 's assault weapons ban and gun-registration scheme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 2015 dissent .
He said Supreme Court precedent leaves `` little doubt that courts are to assess gun bans and regulations based on text , history , and tradition , not by a balancing test , '' which weighs the restrictions against government interests such as ensuring public safety .
Charles said if the Supreme Court handed down a ruling that set `` text , history , and tradition '' as the new standard for resolving gun cases , it could mean that `` 12 years of case law would most likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` substantive change in doctrine '' could threaten some of the country 's more restrictive gun laws .
`` It all depends on how judges apply such a test , but I think there ’ s certainly a reason that those in favor of stronger gun rights favor such a test ; they think it will result in more laws being struck down , '' he said .

Legal scholars say Amy Coney Barrett's judicial philosophy could settle legal stalemates and disagreements that have seen lower federal courts deliver a variety of rulings on gun rights.
Barrett's adoption of what experts refer to as a "text, history and tradition" philosophy—which relies on the text and historic applications of the Second Amendment, rather than the applications of "balancing tests" of individual rights and government interest to determine whether or not a gun law is constitutional—could be revolutionary for Second Amendment cases.
"In practice, the Court’s adoption of the 'text, history, and tradition' test would mean a lot of previously settled circuit precedent gets unsettled," Jacob D. Charles, executive director of Duke University's Center for Firearms Law, told the Washington Free Beacon.
In 2019's Kanter v. Barr, Barrett argued in a dissent that "all people have the right to keep and bear arms but that history and tradition support Congress’s power to strip certain groups of that right." After studying founding-era documents, Barrett concluded that nonviolent felons should not be subject to the same gun restrictions that apply to violent criminals. Mark W. Smith, presidential scholar and senior fellow in law and public policy at the King’s College in New York City, told the Free Beacon the approach favored by Barrett is in stark contrast to the balancing tests lower courts have employed in the past.
"Balancing tests are favored by the liberal justices and left-leaning lower courts because they serve as an easy excuse for eliminating the right to possess and use firearms," he said. "It allows liberal jurisdictions to invoke 'public safety' without any empirical support and to deny constitutional rights carte blanche. These balancing tests allow judges to pay lip service to the Second Amendment while eroding this most fundamental individual right."
Gun-rights advocates have complained for years that lower courts have improperly upheld restrictions on assault weapons and magazines, as well as gun registration requirements, despite the Supreme Court's landmark Heller ruling, which struck down Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban in 2008. The Court expanded that ruling from state to local gun-control measures in 2010, but has only taken one other Second Amendment case since that time, leaving lower courts free to interpret gun-rights protections.
Barrett's application of the "text, history, and tradition" doctrine, as well as her public comments noting the lack of recent Supreme Court gun cases—which four of the five Republican-appointed members of the Court have complained about publicly—indicate that the Court may finally begin settling open questions about gun rights, according to Cato Institute legal scholar Walter Olson.
"I'd say if you applaud that approach, you have much to look forward to in a Justice Barrett," Olson said. "Lower courts that want to take gun law off in other directions will need to be aware that their decisions will have to get past a review by a whole gauntlet of informed originalist justices."
Barrett is not the only Trump nominee who has embraced a "text, history, and tradition" approach to gun-rights cases. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh used similar reasoning to argue that Washington, D.C.'s assault weapons ban and gun-registration scheme ran afoul of the Second Amendment in a 2015 dissent. He said Supreme Court precedent leaves "little doubt that courts are to assess gun bans and regulations based on text, history, and tradition, not by a balancing test," which weighs the restrictions against government interests such as ensuring public safety.
Charles said if the Supreme Court handed down a ruling that set "text, history, and tradition" as the new standard for resolving gun cases, it could mean that "12 years of case law would most likely need to be relitigated." Such a "substantive change in doctrine" could threaten some of the country's more restrictive gun laws.
"It all depends on how judges apply such a test, but I think there’s certainly a reason that those in favor of stronger gun rights favor such a test; they think it will result in more laws being struck down," he said.


freebeacon--2020-10-05--CREEPY CAL: Cunningham Caught Exchanging Nerdy Sexts with Married Woman

Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham , who is definitely a Democrat , is embroiled in an embarrassing sexting scandal thanks to the diligent reporting of a Washington Free Beacon alum .
Cunningham , who is running against incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis ( R. , N.C. ) , confirmed the authenticity of text messages first published by NationalFile.com on Thursday , but refused to drop out of the race .
The intimate yet nerdy exchanges between Cunningham and Arlene Guzman Todd , an army wife and public relations professional in California , threaten to upend a crucial swing-state contest that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 .
`` I have hurt my family , disappointed my friends , and am deeply sorry , '' said Cunningham , a married father of two , in a statement released by his campaign .
`` The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility , which I do .
I ask that my family ’ s privacy be respected in this personal matter . ''
The candidate said he `` will continue to work to earn the opportunity to fight for the people of our state . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to have been exchanged over the summer , reveal what might best be described as an adorably quaint display of courtship—if not for the infidelity , hubris , and deceit involved .
North Carolina Democrats , it would seem , are particularly incapable of remaining faithful to their wives .
`` You are historically sexy , '' Cunningham texted his paramour , along with a kiss emoji .
In response , she asked when they could see each other , adding : `` I want to kiss you . ''
Cunningham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wrote back : `` And I kiss back . ''
Not satisfied that his level of attraction has been sufficiently conveyed , the candidate added : `` A lot . ''
Cunningham 's lady friend then expressed her desire for `` a night with you , '' to which he responded : `` Sounds wonderful—I want that too !
!
!
Very badly . ''
The lady friend urges him to `` make up an excuse '' to be away from his family , `` ditch '' his campaign staff , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
According to NationalFile.com , the lady friend is Arlene Guzman Todd , who is currently married to Jeremy Todd , an Army sergeant who served five combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan .
Cunningham also served as a lawyer in the Army Reserve , which has been the central message of his campaign up to this point .
Adultery is generally frowned upon in the military .
Cunningham himself has previously signaled his revulsion for marital infidelity .
As a candidate for state senate in 2000 , Cunningham expressed support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Lieberman ( D. , Conn. ) as a running mate , telling the Salisbury Post he respected Lieberman for his morally charged rebuke of Bill Clinton , one of the Democratic Party 's most prominent philanderers .
During Clinton 's impeachment hearings in 1998 , Lieberman had denounced the president 's behavior in the Monica Lewinsky scandal as `` inappropriate , '' `` immoral , '' and `` harmful . ''

Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham, who is definitely a Democrat, is embroiled in an embarrassing sexting scandal thanks to the diligent reporting of a Washington Free Beacon alum.
Cunningham, who is running against incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.), confirmed the authenticity of text messages first published by NationalFile.com on Thursday, but refused to drop out of the race. The intimate yet nerdy exchanges between Cunningham and Arlene Guzman Todd, an army wife and public relations professional in California, threaten to upend a crucial swing-state contest that could determine which party controls the Senate in 2021.
"I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry," said Cunningham, a married father of two, in a statement released by his campaign. "The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility, which I do. I ask that my family’s privacy be respected in this personal matter." The candidate said he "will continue to work to earn the opportunity to fight for the people of our state."
The texts, at least some of which appear to have been exchanged over the summer, reveal what might best be described as an adorably quaint display of courtship—if not for the infidelity, hubris, and deceit involved. North Carolina Democrats, it would seem, are particularly incapable of remaining faithful to their wives.
"You are historically sexy," Cunningham texted his paramour, along with a kiss emoji. In response, she asked when they could see each other, adding: "I want to kiss you." Cunningham, presumably all fired up at this point, wrote back: "And I kiss back." Not satisfied that his level of attraction has been sufficiently conveyed, the candidate added: "A lot."
Cunningham's lady friend then expressed her desire for "a night with you," to which he responded: "Sounds wonderful—I want that too!!! Very badly." The lady friend urges him to "make up an excuse" to be away from his family, "ditch" his campaign staff, and "be ready to kiss a lot."
According to NationalFile.com, the lady friend is Arlene Guzman Todd, who is currently married to Jeremy Todd, an Army sergeant who served five combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cunningham also served as a lawyer in the Army Reserve, which has been the central message of his campaign up to this point. Adultery is generally frowned upon in the military.
Cunningham himself has previously signaled his revulsion for marital infidelity. As a candidate for state senate in 2000, Cunningham expressed support for Al Gore's selection of former senator Joe Lieberman (D., Conn.) as a running mate, telling the Salisbury Post he respected Lieberman for his morally charged rebuke of Bill Clinton, one of the Democratic Party's most prominent philanderers.
During Clinton's impeachment hearings in 1998, Lieberman had denounced the president's behavior in the Monica Lewinsky scandal as "inappropriate," "immoral," and "harmful."