Beacon Extra

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon ’ s morning newsletter , your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom .
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THE PRESUMPTIVE COMMIE … `` Will Bernie Sanders ' long-ago praise of Socialist regimes hurt Democrats in November ?
, '' via NBC NEWS : On his Nicaragua visit in 1985 Sanders sat down with leader Daniel Ortega , whom he later called `` a very impressive guy . ''
At the time , human rights activists had documented serious abuses by Ortega 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communist Cuba and lauded the country 's `` free health care , free education , free housing , '' while dismissing the government 's holding of political prisoners by saying Cuba was not a `` perfect society , '' according to the Free Press of Burlington .
OFFERS FRESH DEFENSE OF CASTRO … `` Sanders says ‘ it 's unfair to simply say everything is bad ' with Fidel Castro 's Cuba , '' via CNN : `` We 're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad .
You know ? ''
Sanders said on CBS ’ `` 60 Minutes '' … `` When Fidel Castro came into office , you know what he did ?
He had a massive literacy program .
Is that a bad thing ?
Even though Fidel Castro did it ? ''
JOE IN FIRST STAGE OF GRIEF … `` Biden Denies Calling South Carolina His ‘ Firewall , ’ Despite Evidence to the Contrary , '' by WFB ’ s Josh Christenson : Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden on Sunday downplayed his plummeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denying he ever claimed the state was his campaign 's `` firewall '' … He told MSNBC [ on Feb. 2 ] , `` I think I have a real firewall in South Carolina .
And then we go into the Super Tuesday states that have a significant number of minorities and African Americans . ''
KEYSTONE KOPS … `` US intelligence briefer appears to have overstated assessment of 2020 Russian interference , '' via CNN : The US intelligence community has assessed that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leader they can work with .
But the US does not have evidence that Russia 's interference this cycle is aimed at reelecting Trump , the officials said .
`` The intelligence does n't say that , '' one senior national security official told CNN .
`` A more reasonable interpretation of the intelligence is not that they have a preference , it 's a step short of that .
It 's more that they understand the President is someone they can work with , he 's a dealmaker . ''
HERE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Linked to Former Rep. Katie Hill ’ s Campaign , '' via INTERCEPT : Federal agents have arrested Arthur Dam in connection with a hacking spree that disrupted the 2018 Democratic California primary that ultimately nominated Katie Hill , according to a new criminal complaint … Dam ’ s wife is Kelsey O ’ Hara , Hill ’ s fundraiser during the campaign and her district director after she won office .
SOLEIMANI UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT … `` EXCLUSIVE : Pompeo Reveals Trump Admin ’ s Wide-Ranging Plan to Combat Iran , Deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by WFB ’ s Adam Kredo : In the coming months , [ Secretary of State Mike ] Pompeo said , he and the president will make a major decision about whether to petition the United Nations to invoke what is known as `` snapback '' on a set of international sanctions on Iran that were lifted as part of the Obama administration 's nuclear accord … Such a move would deal a deathblow to the nuclear deal .
THE LOWEST COUNTRIES … `` Anti-Semitic Belgium parade features costumes of Jews with insect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group wore fake hooked noses and costumes of ultra-Orthodox Jews as a protest .
Their float had a sign labeled `` regulations for the Jewish party committee , '' and it included : `` Do not mock Jews '' and `` Certainly do not tell the truth about the Jew . ''
SICK MAN GETS ACCOMPLICES … `` Inside the Wall Street Journal , Tensions Rise Over ‘ Sick Man ’ China Headline , '' via NYT : More than four dozen journalists at the Wall Street Journal challenged their bosses and criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter that was sent to top executives on Thursday , the day after China announced that it would expel three Journal staff members in retaliation for a headline that offended the country ’ s leaders .
TK … `` Chris Matthews : Dems may be better off with Trump re-elected than Sanders ‘ taking over ' the party , '' via THE BLAZE : `` I 'm wondering whether the Democratic moderates want Bernie Sanders to be president , '' Matthews told panelists who were visibly surprised by the suggestion … According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a harder stance against Sanders and his ideology .
THIS TIME THE POST MEANS BUSINESS … `` We have entered the Trump Unbound era — and journalists need to step it up.
, '' via WAPO : Too often , news organizations are cautious to a fault , afraid of their own shadows , and worried about being labeled anti-Trump or biased .
In this new era , my prescription is less false equivalence , more high-impact language and more willingness to take a stand for democracy .
With Trump unbound , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , radically .
The stakes are too high not to .
PRINCIPLES IN ACTION … `` Left-Wing Young Turks Refuses to Recognize Employees ’ Union , '' by WFB ’ s Alex Griswold : A week after TYT Union was formed to represent production and post-production workers at the popular liberal channel , the group announced that company leadership had refused voluntary recognition of the union .
The refusal , which comes after Sanders proposed penalizing companies that refuse to recognize unions , is the latest instance of a left-leaning news outlet resisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TRUMP … `` Couple allegedly drove 2 teenage boys on bikes off the road for their Trump flag , '' via ABC NEWS : The brothers told police that they were riding their bikes in the city of Hobart around 8:30 p.m. when a blue Chevy Malibu began following them , according to the affidavit .
The boys then said that it `` swerved as if the driver wanted to hit them '' and they had to ride their bikes into the grass .
A woman , later identified as Smith , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident , saying , `` y'all scared just like your president '' and `` America is not great f—– , '' according to the affidavit .
ACRONYM RIPS A PAGE OUT OF THERANOS PLAYBOOK … `` How Tara McGowan Became the Elizabeth Holmes of Politics , '' by WFB ’ s Charles Fain Lehman : A fawning profile in the online magazine Ozy called her the `` Democrats ' most dangerous digital strategist . ''
Her ACRONYM network was meant to be the party 's high-tech solution to its crushing 2016 defeat … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however … Funders who once heaped cash on her are starting to ask whether McGowan 's startup is really the next big thing , or if the whole operation has been their version of Theranos , the tech firm that raised millions on a miracle technology it could n't deliver .
Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

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


freebeacon--2020-02-28--Iowa Dem Theresa Greenfield Violates Own ‘Campaign Coordination’ Pledge, Experts Say

Iowa Democrat Theresa Greenfield has pledged to stop `` coordination '' between campaigns and outside groups if elected to the Senate , but it appears Greenfield herself has already violated that pledge .
Greenfield 's candidacy received a boost earlier this week when the Senate Majority PAC ( SMP ) , the super PAC responsible for electing the Democratic establishment 's preferred Senate candidates , announced it would pour $ 1 million into ads backing Greenfield .
One SMP ad mirrors the subject matter of a document that Greenfield 's campaign uploaded as an `` important update '' just weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the campaign website linked alongside the document , raising concerns from ethics watchdogs that Greenfield illegally coordinated with the super PAC .
Greenfield has positioned herself on the front lines of ending political corruption in her quest to unseat Republican senator Joni Ernst this November .
As part of her platform , Greenfield released an anti-corruption plan calling for legislation that will `` truly '' ensure a firewall between campaigns and outside groups to prevent coordination .
`` Candidate coordination with outside dark money groups like Iowa Values and Super PACs is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ernst 's who try to break the law , '' the plan states .
`` We need to enact legislation to ensure that these outside groups truly act independently , and not as an arm of any campaign , by banning internal firewalls and preventing overlap between candidates and their agents . ''
While it is illegal for campaigns to directly coordinate with outside groups , both political parties often utilize workarounds .
These workarounds can include a campaign sending subtle signals to outside groups by posting materials in a public space .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ materials and subject matter to create an ad on behalf of the campaign .
The incident sparked concerns that Greenfield 's campaign may have used such a workaround .
`` The coordination between Theresa Greenfield , her campaign , and the Senate Majority PAC is arguably illegal activity , '' said Kendra Arnold , executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust , a government watchdog group .
`` The ‘ important update ' that Greenfield 's campaign posted on its website utilizes the exact same language as other candidates who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their behalf via PACs that can raise and spend unlimited funds . ''
The Senate Majority PAC ran a seven-figure ad in the Hawkeye State on Tuesday .
It was SMP 's first foray into the Iowa Democratic primary and was used to introduce Greenfield to voters .
`` Tough times do n't last , but tough people do , '' the ad 's narrator says over B-roll footage of Greenfield .
`` Theresa Greenfield learned that growing up on her family farm , putting herself through college working part-time jobs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband , she raised two boys as a single mom and became president of a local small business .
All of it makes Theresa tough enough to take on Washington 's corruption and deliver for Iowa . ''
Greenfield 's campaign posted an `` important update '' on its website roughly a month earlier with two paragraphs on the same subject matter as the 30-second ad .
The post contains a link that leads to a short memo and a silent YouTube video of the B-roll footage used in the ad .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her family 's farm during the farm crisis , '' the linked document states .
`` While expecting her second child , Greenfield ’ s husband , a union electrician , was killed on the job in a tragic accident .
Raising two young boys on her own , Social Security was critical to saving her family .
She put herself through college working multiple jobs and rose to become the president of a small business .
Greenfield is running for U.S. Senate to take on a corrupt Washington .
Greenfield refuses corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Social Security and make health care affordable for us . ''
The post does not contain a date of when it went live .
However , the update was captured by Google cache on Feb. 6 .
The YouTube video was uploaded on Jan. 27 .
Greenfield released her plan to `` end political corruption , '' which contained a call for legislation to end coordination , just days before the SMP announced the ad buy .
Michael Franken , who is running against Greenfield in Iowa 's Democratic primary , criticized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greenfield ] just accepted a seven-figure dark money ad buy , '' Franken said on Twitter .
`` All candidates in this primary must honor the anti-dark money pledge we signed .
@ StopBigMoney must hold their candidates accountable & [ Greenfield ] must denounce corporations and lobbyists in her corner . ''
When asked for comment , Sam Newton , Greenfield 's communications director , said the ad 's similarity to campaign materials was a distraction .
`` These false allegations are an attempt to distract from Senator Ernst 's refusal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation that showed how she illegally coordinated with a dark money group set up by her own top aides , '' Newton told the Washington Free Beacon in an emailed statement .
`` Theresa has a plan to ban corporate PACs and dark money , while Senator Ernst has only made the political corruption in Washington worse . ''
Newton was referring to a December AP story that raised questions about an outside group 's closeness to Ernst 's reelection efforts .
The SMP shares staff and office space with Majority Forward , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 announced plans to target Ernst .
Majority Forward has paid the SMP $ 1.7 million for its shared staff and office space in recent years .
Greenfield 's campaign has also taken more than $ 150,000 from Democratic leadership PACs which take money from committees associated with corporations .
Greenfield 's campaign document states the candidate `` refuses corporate PAC money . ''
The SMP did not respond to a request for comment by press time .
Greenfield is the Democratic establishment 's preferred candidate to face Ernst in the general election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be one of the most competitive and expensive in the country .

Iowa Democrat Theresa Greenfield has pledged to stop "coordination" between campaigns and outside groups if elected to the Senate, but it appears Greenfield herself has already violated that pledge.
Greenfield's candidacy received a boost earlier this week when the Senate Majority PAC (SMP), the super PAC responsible for electing the Democratic establishment's preferred Senate candidates, announced it would pour $1 million into ads backing Greenfield. One SMP ad mirrors the subject matter of a document that Greenfield's campaign uploaded as an "important update" just weeks prior. The ad also uses footage that the campaign website linked alongside the document, raising concerns from ethics watchdogs that Greenfield illegally coordinated with the super PAC.
Greenfield has positioned herself on the front lines of ending political corruption in her quest to unseat Republican senator Joni Ernst this November. As part of her platform, Greenfield released an anti-corruption plan calling for legislation that will "truly" ensure a firewall between campaigns and outside groups to prevent coordination.
"Candidate coordination with outside dark money groups like Iowa Values and Super PACs is illegal—and we must stop campaigns like Senator Ernst's who try to break the law," the plan states. "We need to enact legislation to ensure that these outside groups truly act independently, and not as an arm of any campaign, by banning internal firewalls and preventing overlap between candidates and their agents."
While it is illegal for campaigns to directly coordinate with outside groups, both political parties often utilize workarounds. These workarounds can include a campaign sending subtle signals to outside groups by posting materials in a public space. The outside group might then use the materials and subject matter to create an ad on behalf of the campaign.
The incident sparked concerns that Greenfield's campaign may have used such a workaround. "The coordination between Theresa Greenfield, her campaign, and the Senate Majority PAC is arguably illegal activity," said Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, a government watchdog group. "The 'important update' that Greenfield's campaign posted on its website utilizes the exact same language as other candidates who have 'requested' ads to run on their behalf via PACs that can raise and spend unlimited funds."
The Senate Majority PAC ran a seven-figure ad in the Hawkeye State on Tuesday. It was SMP's first foray into the Iowa Democratic primary and was used to introduce Greenfield to voters.
"Tough times don't last, but tough people do," the ad's narrator says over B-roll footage of Greenfield. "Theresa Greenfield learned that growing up on her family farm, putting herself through college working part-time jobs. And after a workplace accident took her husband, she raised two boys as a single mom and became president of a local small business. All of it makes Theresa tough enough to take on Washington's corruption and deliver for Iowa."
Greenfield's campaign posted an "important update" on its website roughly a month earlier with two paragraphs on the same subject matter as the 30-second ad. The post contains a link that leads to a short memo and a silent YouTube video of the B-roll footage used in the ad.
"Theresa Greenfield grew up working hard on her family's farm during the farm crisis," the linked document states. "While expecting her second child, Greenfield’s husband, a union electrician, was killed on the job in a tragic accident. Raising two young boys on her own, Social Security was critical to saving her family. She put herself through college working multiple jobs and rose to become the president of a small business. Greenfield is running for U.S. Senate to take on a corrupt Washington. Greenfield refuses corporate PAC money and will fight to protect Social Security and make health care affordable for us."
The post does not contain a date of when it went live. However, the update was captured by Google cache on Feb. 6. The YouTube video was uploaded on Jan. 27. Greenfield released her plan to "end political corruption," which contained a call for legislation to end coordination, just days before the SMP announced the ad buy.
Michael Franken, who is running against Greenfield in Iowa's Democratic primary, criticized the ad buy on Wednesday.
"[Greenfield] just accepted a seven-figure dark money ad buy," Franken said on Twitter. "All candidates in this primary must honor the anti-dark money pledge we signed. @StopBigMoney must hold their candidates accountable & [Greenfield] must denounce corporations and lobbyists in her corner."
When asked for comment, Sam Newton, Greenfield's communications director, said the ad's similarity to campaign materials was a distraction. "These false allegations are an attempt to distract from Senator Ernst's refusal to answer questions about a bombshell Associated Press investigation that showed how she illegally coordinated with a dark money group set up by her own top aides," Newton told the Washington Free Beacon in an emailed statement. "Theresa has a plan to ban corporate PACs and dark money, while Senator Ernst has only made the political corruption in Washington worse."
Newton was referring to a December AP story that raised questions about an outside group's closeness to Ernst's reelection efforts.
The SMP shares staff and office space with Majority Forward, a dark money group which in January 2019 announced plans to target Ernst. Majority Forward has paid the SMP $1.7 million for its shared staff and office space in recent years.
Greenfield's campaign has also taken more than $150,000 from Democratic leadership PACs which take money from committees associated with corporations. Greenfield's campaign document states the candidate "refuses corporate PAC money."
The SMP did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Greenfield is the Democratic establishment's preferred candidate to face Ernst in the general election. The Senate race is expected to be one of the most competitive and expensive in the country.


Beacon Extra

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


freebeacon--2020-02-28--2020 Dem Plans Reflect Party of the ‘Professional Class’

Although backed by redistributionist rhetoric , many programs pushed by 2020 Democrats would primarily benefit highly educated professionals , often at the expense of the bottom fifth of earners , a new report released by the conservative Manhattan Institute concludes .
The report examines the distributive impacts of major proposals , including Medicare for All , student debt forgiveness , and the repeal of key components of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ( TCJA ) .
It argues that while Democratic candidates talk big about supporting workers and the poor , these programs primarily serve the interests of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new programs they have proposed , from Medicare for All to student debt forgiveness and free college , would flow predominantly to the professional class—upper-middle-class , highly educated households , '' Manhattan Institute senior fellow Brian Riedl writes .
`` Many of their tax proposals , meanwhile , would disproportionately burden low-income households or benefit high-income taxpayers . ''
The report is just the latest evidence of a sea change taking place in the Democratic Party .
Long branded as representatives of the working class , the Democratic Party has come to appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents of urban America , data indicate .
This shift was key to President Donald Trump 's victory in 2016 and , the new report indicates , may well be driving 2020 contenders ' policy preferences .
Take , for example , the push by leading Democrats—including Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
, and Michael Bloomberg—to cancel some or all of Americans ' $ 1.6 trillion in student debt .
Such debt relief would disproportionately benefit well-off Americans .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accrue to those with high-paying graduate degrees , including doctors , lawyers , and business executives .
In total , Riedl estimates that student loan forgiveness would pay out $ 544 billion to top earners , compared with $ 192 billion to the bottom quartile .
The report offers similar criticisms of Medicare for All , embraced by Warren and Sanders , and the `` public option '' endorsed by their competitors .
The program is presented as primarily benefiting poorer Americans , but about 75 million low-income individuals already receive insurance through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poorer Americans are already the primary recipients of public health insurance , they are less benefited by the addition of more public health insurance .
That dynamic means that in many ways , Medicare for All would be a bad deal for poor Americans .
Medicaid recipients whose earnings are under 150 percent of the federal poverty line pay no premiums and have an $ 8 cap on copays , meaning that `` Medicare for All would save them very little , '' Riedl writes .
In return , however , they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the form of either an added payroll tax or indirect taxation to pay for the $ 30 trillion program .
Upper-middle-class Americans , by contrast , would feel less of a burden , while still enjoying the option of using publicly funded health insurance .
Such tax inequity does not stop with Medicare for All .
Per-unit taxes on carbon or pollution , such as might be deployed in a Green New Deal , are in effect regressive , consuming a larger share of poorer households ' income because of their flat structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have promised to repeal the TCJA 's $ 10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction .
Such a repeal would allow individuals to fully deduct those taxes from their federal return , serving as an enormous boon to the rich : `` Of the $ 620 billion realized from the full restoration of this deduction , 96 % would flow to the top-earning quintile and 57 % to the top 1 % ( saving this group $ 34,000 annually on average ) . ''
`` Notably , lawmakers critical of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to repeal the portions of the law that most benefited upper-income earners , such as the pass-through deduction , corporate tax-rate cuts , and relief from the estate tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax ( AMT ) , '' Riedl writes .
`` Instead , they target the most progressive part of the law , the SALT cap , which raised taxes on upper-income earners . ''
That selectivity , and the broader redistributive dynamic the new report highlights , fit within a Democratic Party that has grown increasingly responsive to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —college graduates who , while not the 1 percent , sit comfortably in the top fifth of earners .
That change came to the fore in the 2016 presidential election when , election survey data show , the Republican won the vote of low-earning white Americans and lost the vote of high-earning white Americans for the first time since 1948 .
But the trend likely predates President Donald Trump .
Thomas Piketty , the controversial Marxist economist , noted in a recent paper that after controlling for demographic factors , college grads have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the mid-1990s .
Data from the General Social Survey tell a similar story .
Although it does a poor job tracking income data , it paints a clear picture of the changing party affiliation of the rich by asking about respondents ' family wealth .
Over the course of the past half century , Republicans ascended to majority support among those who reported growing up with above or far-above average wealth , but as of 2018 draw a smaller proportion than Democrats .
The new Manhattan report highlights the way in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their base .
As the Democratic Party once again becomes the party of the wealthy and well-educated , its leaders increasingly push programs which benefit that group at the expense of less well-off Americans .

Although backed by redistributionist rhetoric, many programs pushed by 2020 Democrats would primarily benefit highly educated professionals, often at the expense of the bottom fifth of earners, a new report released by the conservative Manhattan Institute concludes.
The report examines the distributive impacts of major proposals, including Medicare for All, student debt forgiveness, and the repeal of key components of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). It argues that while Democratic candidates talk big about supporting workers and the poor, these programs primarily serve the interests of the wealthy.
"The benefits of the new programs they have proposed, from Medicare for All to student debt forgiveness and free college, would flow predominantly to the professional class—upper-middle-class, highly educated households," Manhattan Institute senior fellow Brian Riedl writes. "Many of their tax proposals, meanwhile, would disproportionately burden low-income households or benefit high-income taxpayers."
The report is just the latest evidence of a sea change taking place in the Democratic Party. Long branded as representatives of the working class, the Democratic Party has come to appeal primarily to the college-educated, often affluent residents of urban America, data indicate. This shift was key to President Donald Trump's victory in 2016 and, the new report indicates, may well be driving 2020 contenders' policy preferences.
Take, for example, the push by leading Democrats—including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), and Michael Bloomberg—to cancel some or all of Americans' $1.6 trillion in student debt. Such debt relief would disproportionately benefit well-off Americans. "Roughly half" of the benefit would accrue to those with high-paying graduate degrees, including doctors, lawyers, and business executives. In total, Riedl estimates that student loan forgiveness would pay out $544 billion to top earners, compared with $192 billion to the bottom quartile.
The report offers similar criticisms of Medicare for All, embraced by Warren and Sanders, and the "public option" endorsed by their competitors. The program is presented as primarily benefiting poorer Americans, but about 75 million low-income individuals already receive insurance through Medicaid. In other words, because poorer Americans are already the primary recipients of public health insurance, they are less benefited by the addition of more public health insurance.
That dynamic means that in many ways, Medicare for All would be a bad deal for poor Americans. Medicaid recipients whose earnings are under 150 percent of the federal poverty line pay no premiums and have an $8 cap on copays, meaning that "Medicare for All would save them very little," Riedl writes. In return, however, they would see a substantial tax increase, in the form of either an added payroll tax or indirect taxation to pay for the $30 trillion program. Upper-middle-class Americans, by contrast, would feel less of a burden, while still enjoying the option of using publicly funded health insurance.
Such tax inequity does not stop with Medicare for All. Per-unit taxes on carbon or pollution, such as might be deployed in a Green New Deal, are in effect regressive, consuming a larger share of poorer households' income because of their flat structure. Meanwhile, contenders like Pete Buttigieg have promised to repeal the TCJA's $10,000 cap on the state and local tax deduction. Such a repeal would allow individuals to fully deduct those taxes from their federal return, serving as an enormous boon to the rich: "Of the $620 billion realized from the full restoration of this deduction, 96% would flow to the top-earning quintile and 57% to the top 1% (saving this group $34,000 annually on average)."
"Notably, lawmakers critical of the 'regressive' TCJA have made little effort to repeal the portions of the law that most benefited upper-income earners, such as the pass-through deduction, corporate tax-rate cuts, and relief from the estate tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)," Riedl writes. "Instead, they target the most progressive part of the law, the SALT cap, which raised taxes on upper-income earners."
That selectivity, and the broader redistributive dynamic the new report highlights, fit within a Democratic Party that has grown increasingly responsive to what Riedl calls the "professional class"—college graduates who, while not the 1 percent, sit comfortably in the top fifth of earners.
That change came to the fore in the 2016 presidential election when, election survey data show, the Republican won the vote of low-earning white Americans and lost the vote of high-earning white Americans for the first time since 1948. But the trend likely predates President Donald Trump. Thomas Piketty, the controversial Marxist economist, noted in a recent paper that after controlling for demographic factors, college grads have been consistently more likely to vote Democratic since the mid-1990s.
Data from the General Social Survey tell a similar story. Although it does a poor job tracking income data, it paints a clear picture of the changing party affiliation of the rich by asking about respondents' family wealth. Over the course of the past half century, Republicans ascended to majority support among those who reported growing up with above or far-above average wealth, but as of 2018 draw a smaller proportion than Democrats.
The new Manhattan report highlights the way in which 2020 candidates have responded to this shift in their base. As the Democratic Party once again becomes the party of the wealthy and well-educated, its leaders increasingly push programs which benefit that group at the expense of less well-off Americans.


freebeacon--2020-02-28--Bloomberg Locked Up Nearly Half a Million People on Marijuana Charges

Presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg argued on the debate stage in South Carolina that people should n't be arrested for marijuana possession , but as the mayor of New York City , Bloomberg aggressively prosecuted the crime , arresting more people for the offense than the three previous mayors combined .
`` We should not make this a criminal thing if you have a small amount , '' Bloomberg said at Tuesday 's debate .
`` For dealers , yes .
But for the average person , no , and we should expunge the records of those who got caught up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment marks a remarkable change-of-heart for the billionaire mogul .
During his 12-year tenure as mayor , the New York Police Department arrested roughly 106 New Yorkers each day for the lowest-level marijuana possession charge , according to data from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services ( DCJS ) .
In comparison , the administrations of Bloomberg 's three predecessors , Democrats Ed Koch and David Dinkins and Republican Rudy Giuliani , collectively arrested 226,000 people , or 25 people daily , for the same charge over a 24-year period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's tenure , approximately 471,000 people were arrested on possession charges .
The issue of marijuana has become a litmus test for the Democratic presidential contenders , who have embraced lenient drug policies to demonstrate their commitment to criminal justice reform .
This is partly because many progressives believe that the criminalization of weed possession has drastically increased incarceration rates , especially among minority communities .
In fact , prison data show that legalizing weed will have little to no impact on the prison population since few inmates are incarcerated for possessing marijuana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skeptic on the issue even as the rest of the Democratic field—with the notable exception of former vice president Joe Biden—lurched toward full legalization of the drug .
Despite his current support for decriminalization , Bloomberg bluntly said that marijuana legalization is the `` stupidest thing anyone has ever done '' as recently as January 2019 .
Bloomberg 's campaign did not respond to a request for comment .
The Washington Free Beacon obtained the DCJS data from the Drug Policy Alliance and the Marijuana Arrest Research Project , research groups that support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest of a New Yorker over the age of 16 where the lowest criminal possession offense was the primary or only charge .
New York City had relatively lax enforcement of marijuana-related offenses until the mid-1990s , in part due to a 1977 bill that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana that were not in public view .
The enforcement changed when Giuliani was elected in 1994 after pledging to be tough on crime .
Under Giuliani 's leadership , the NYPD cracked down on marijuana possession in public view , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail time , on average arresting 24,000 people each year .
While Bloomberg acknowledged on the mayoral campaign trail that he had used weed before , he doubled down on Giuliani 's policies when he became mayor in 2002 .
During Bloomberg 's time at City Hall from 2002 to 2013 , the New York Police Department arrested , on average , nearly 40,000 people each year .
The possession arrests for Bloomberg 's tenure peaked in 2011 when the police hauled in more than 50,000 New Yorkers .
Kassandra Frederique , managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that Bloomberg 's policies subverted the protections of the 1977 law and turned the Big Apple into the `` marijuana arrest capital of the country . ''
The New York Times previously reported that NYPD officers frequently arrested people after ordering them to empty their pockets , an act that brought their marijuana into public view .
`` Bloomberg is the reason we know decriminalization does not work and is not enough , '' Frederique told the Free Beacon .
`` New York City has had decriminalization on its books for four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marijuana arrest capital of the country as the NYPD made over 400,000 marijuana arrests under Bloomberg ’ s draconian stop-and-frisk policy . ''
Bloomberg gradually softened his rhetoric as his tenure came to an end , reversing his position and supporting decriminalization for open possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2012 .
But the former mayor has remained suspicious of full-on legalization , arguing on the debate stage that it is `` nonsensical '' to legalize the drug when scientists still do not understand the possible adverse health effects of marijuana use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns regarding marijuana legalization .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams said that legalization amounts to a `` massive public-health experiment '' that could endanger the public .
He pointed to research that found habitual marijuana use among teens could lower their IQ .
Other research that he cited showed mothers who use marijuana are more likely to experience premature births .
The former mayor 's support for stop-and-frisk policing has also complicated his marijuana record .
Many progressives argue that stop-and-frisk led to higher arrests for marijuana possession , especially in minority communities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice as necessary for fighting crime until he unexpectedly apologized for the policy as he prepared to launch his presidential campaign in November .
`` People say , ‘ Oh my God , you are arresting kids for marijuana that are all minorities , ' '' Bloomberg said in 2015 , addressing the pushback to stop-and-frisk .
`` Yes , that is true .
Why ?
Because we put all the cops in the minority neighborhoods .
Why did we do it ?
Because that 's where all the crime is . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) also faced scrutiny for her record on marijuana on the campaign trail .
While Harris supports legalization today , California also prosecuted 1,974 people for weed possession during Harris 's six-year tenure as the state 's attorney general .

Presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg argued on the debate stage in South Carolina that people shouldn't be arrested for marijuana possession, but as the mayor of New York City, Bloomberg aggressively prosecuted the crime, arresting more people for the offense than the three previous mayors combined.
"We should not make this a criminal thing if you have a small amount," Bloomberg said at Tuesday's debate. "For dealers, yes. But for the average person, no, and we should expunge the records of those who got caught up in this before."
Bloomberg's comment marks a remarkable change-of-heart for the billionaire mogul. During his 12-year tenure as mayor, the New York Police Department arrested roughly 106 New Yorkers each day for the lowest-level marijuana possession charge, according to data from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). In comparison, the administrations of Bloomberg's three predecessors, Democrats Ed Koch and David Dinkins and Republican Rudy Giuliani, collectively arrested 226,000 people, or 25 people daily, for the same charge over a 24-year period between 1978 and 2001. During Bloomberg's tenure, approximately 471,000 people were arrested on possession charges.
The issue of marijuana has become a litmus test for the Democratic presidential contenders, who have embraced lenient drug policies to demonstrate their commitment to criminal justice reform. This is partly because many progressives believe that the criminalization of weed possession has drastically increased incarceration rates, especially among minority communities. In fact, prison data show that legalizing weed will have little to no impact on the prison population since few inmates are incarcerated for possessing marijuana.
The former mayor has remained a skeptic on the issue even as the rest of the Democratic field—with the notable exception of former vice president Joe Biden—lurched toward full legalization of the drug. Despite his current support for decriminalization, Bloomberg bluntly said that marijuana legalization is the "stupidest thing anyone has ever done" as recently as January 2019. Bloomberg's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The Washington Free Beacon obtained the DCJS data from the Drug Policy Alliance and the Marijuana Arrest Research Project, research groups that support drug reform. The data include every arrest of a New Yorker over the age of 16 where the lowest criminal possession offense was the primary or only charge.
New York City had relatively lax enforcement of marijuana-related offenses until the mid-1990s, in part due to a 1977 bill that decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana that were not in public view. The enforcement changed when Giuliani was elected in 1994 after pledging to be tough on crime. Under Giuliani's leadership, the NYPD cracked down on marijuana possession in public view, which was still a crime punishable with jail time, on average arresting 24,000 people each year.
While Bloomberg acknowledged on the mayoral campaign trail that he had used weed before, he doubled down on Giuliani's policies when he became mayor in 2002. During Bloomberg's time at City Hall from 2002 to 2013, the New York Police Department arrested, on average, nearly 40,000 people each year. The possession arrests for Bloomberg's tenure peaked in 2011 when the police hauled in more than 50,000 New Yorkers.
Kassandra Frederique, managing director for the Drug Policy Alliance, said that Bloomberg's policies subverted the protections of the 1977 law and turned the Big Apple into the "marijuana arrest capital of the country." The New York Times previously reported that NYPD officers frequently arrested people after ordering them to empty their pockets, an act that brought their marijuana into public view.
"Bloomberg is the reason we know decriminalization does not work and is not enough," Frederique told the Free Beacon. "New York City has had decriminalization on its books for four decades, but became known as the marijuana arrest capital of the country as the NYPD made over 400,000 marijuana arrests under Bloomberg’s draconian stop-and-frisk policy."
Bloomberg gradually softened his rhetoric as his tenure came to an end, reversing his position and supporting decriminalization for open possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2012. But the former mayor has remained suspicious of full-on legalization, arguing on the debate stage that it is "nonsensical" to legalize the drug when scientists still do not understand the possible adverse health effects of marijuana use.
The Trump administration shares Bloomberg's concerns regarding marijuana legalization. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said that legalization amounts to a "massive public-health experiment" that could endanger the public. He pointed to research that found habitual marijuana use among teens could lower their IQ. Other research that he cited showed mothers who use marijuana are more likely to experience premature births.
The former mayor's support for stop-and-frisk policing has also complicated his marijuana record. Many progressives argue that stop-and-frisk led to higher arrests for marijuana possession, especially in minority communities. Bloomberg had long defended the controversial policing practice as necessary for fighting crime until he unexpectedly apologized for the policy as he prepared to launch his presidential campaign in November.
"People say, 'Oh my God, you are arresting kids for marijuana that are all minorities,'" Bloomberg said in 2015, addressing the pushback to stop-and-frisk. "Yes, that is true. Why? Because we put all the cops in the minority neighborhoods. Why did we do it? Because that's where all the crime is."
Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) also faced scrutiny for her record on marijuana on the campaign trail. While Harris supports legalization today, California also prosecuted 1,974 people for weed possession during Harris's six-year tenure as the state's attorney general.


Beacon Extra 2/27/20

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon ’ s morning newsletter , your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom .
To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning , sign up here .
`` Green on Blue Attack : Quincy Institute Trashes Keynote Speaker David Petraeus , '' by WFB ’ s Brent Scher : After inviting retired four-star General David Petraeus to keynote their forum in Washington , D.C. , the Koch and Soros-funded Quincy Institute trashed the retired military official on social media during and after his appearance for his `` lack of vision for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' … Sarah Leah Whitson , the institute 's managing director for research and policy , derided Petraeus for delivering `` stale outdated talking points '' on the war in Iraq , where the general commanded U.S. armed forces , and killing 500,000 people .
Whitson on Tuesday night argued that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein deserved credit for advances in education and literacy during his reign .
SCALPING THE DEAD … `` More than 200 Native Americans urge Elizabeth Warren to fully retract ancestry claims , '' via AXIOS : Warren sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authors on Tuesday night to both apologize and detail her plan to protect tribal lands and support Native Americans if elected president .
`` I am not a person of color ; I am a white woman , and that is how I identify . ''
BEST COVERAGE MONEY CAN BUY … `` Bloomberg TV Segment Rips Entire Dem Presidential Field , Including Michael Bloomberg , '' by WFB ’ s Paul Crookston : `` I did n't see anybody who had a good debate performance last night .
How could you see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Bloomberg News anchor David Westin on Wednesday … Sabato singled out Michael Bloomberg , founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News 's parent company , for two consecutive `` mediocre to bad '' performances that have n't built upon the billionaire 's historic ad buys .
VET DOESN ’ T DO VETTING … `` Amy McGrath Continues to Exploit Coal Miners Suffering From Black Lung , '' by WFB ’ s Collin Anderson : Two of the miners , Randy Robbins and Albrow Hall , said they were unaware that the footage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack ad .
They criticized McGrath for treating `` miners suffering from black lung disease as political pawns without their permission '' … The McGrath ad accuses Senate Majority Leader McConnell of meeting with coal miners for `` all of one minute '' during their trip to Washington , D.C .
However , Robbins and Hall labeled the meeting a `` success '' in a cease and desist letter sent to McGrath in September .
WHEN WILL KAMALA ENDORSE ?
… `` Klobuchar Ramped Up Prosecutions , Except in Cases Against Police , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minneapolis say the [ Myon ] Burrell case was just one example of how [ Amy ] Klobuchar ’ s office focused disproportionately on prosecuting African Americans while declining to bring charges in more than two dozen shootings and other civilian fatalities that occurred during encounters with police officers .
NO OBJECTION … `` Iran cleric urges people to visit Qom religious site despite coronavirus fears , '' via AL ARABIYA : The representative of Iran ’ s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the city of Qom called on Iranians to visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , calling it a `` place of healing , '' despite the coronavirus outbreak in the city .
`` We consider this holy shrine to be a place of healing .
That means people should come here to heal from spiritual and physical diseases , '' said cleric Mohammad Saeedi .
AND THE OSCAR FOR BEST ANTI-SEMITIC DOC … `` Al Jazeera Spied on American Jews to Make an Anti-Israel Film .
Congress Just Got Invited to the Premiere , '' by WFB ’ s Adam Kredo : Multiple congressional offices have received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never-before-seen anti-Israel documentary produced by Al Jazeera that relies heavily on footage obtained by an undercover Qatari spy … Other panelists include Phyllis Bennis , co-founder of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights , a virulently anti-Israel group ; Eli Clifton , co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft , a think tank closely aligned with the historically anti-Semitic isolationist movement ; and Ben Freeman , a member of CIP , which is sponsoring the event .
BE SMART , GET RICH … `` Axios Running Bloomberg Ads , '' by WFB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running ads from Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg disguised as reported news stories , part of a controversial practice known as `` native advertising '' … While labeled `` a message from Mike Bloomberg , '' the ads are mocked up to resemble actual Axios stories and appear in the same scroll .
PIVOT TO THE GENERAL … `` MSNBC Benches Contributor Who Smeared Bernie Sanders Staffers , '' via DAILY BEAST : Following MSNBC contributor Dr. Jason Johnson ’ s inflammatory remarks about supporters and campaign staffers of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the academic has been temporarily benched by the network , sources confirmed to the Daily Beast … During an interview last week on SiriusXM ’ s the Karen Hunter Show , Johnson claimed `` racist white liberals '' support Sanders and that the senator has done `` nothing for intersectionality . ''
WORKING TITLE : THREE ’ S A CROWD … `` Katie Hill , Who Quit Congress Amid Ethics Inquiry , Will Publish Memoir , '' via NYT : [ During ] a farewell speech on the House floor , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and what she called a `` double standard '' when it comes to women ’ s sexual behavior … Hill will expand on that message in `` She Will Rise , '' a book that is part memoir , part gender-equity battle plan , which Grand Central Publishing plans to publish on Aug. 18 .
STRONGER TOGETHER … `` In Reversal , Hillary Clinton ( Sort of ) Pledges to Support Bitter Rival Bernie Sanders Against Trump , '' by WFB ’ s Andrew Stiles : `` I 'll wait and see who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nominee , '' said Clinton .
`` And I think it is imperative that we retire the incumbent . ''
It 's not exactly a ringing endorsement of Sanders , though subtle position-shifting has always been a staple of Hillary 's underwhelming career in politics … Unless , of course , she still does n't think Sanders will win the nomination—perhaps because she intends to challenge and defeat him at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee .
Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon’s morning newsletter, your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom. To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning, sign up here.
"Green on Blue Attack: Quincy Institute Trashes Keynote Speaker David Petraeus," by WFB’s Brent Scher: After inviting retired four-star General David Petraeus to keynote their forum in Washington, D.C., the Koch and Soros-funded Quincy Institute trashed the retired military official on social media during and after his appearance for his "lack of vision for a new direction in U.S. foreign policy" …
Sarah Leah Whitson, the institute's managing director for research and policy, derided Petraeus for delivering "stale outdated talking points" on the war in Iraq, where the general commanded U.S. armed forces, and killing 500,000 people. Whitson on Tuesday night argued that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein deserved credit for advances in education and literacy during his reign.
SCALPING THE DEAD … "More than 200 Native Americans urge Elizabeth Warren to fully retract ancestry claims," via AXIOS: Warren sent a 12-page response to the predominately Cherokee authors on Tuesday night to both apologize and detail her plan to protect tribal lands and support Native Americans if elected president. "I am not a person of color; I am a white woman, and that is how I identify."
BEST COVERAGE MONEY CAN BUY … "Bloomberg TV Segment Rips Entire Dem Presidential Field, Including Michael Bloomberg," by WFB’s Paul Crookston: "I didn't see anybody who had a good debate performance last night. How could you see anybody?" [Larry] Sabato told Bloomberg News anchor David Westin on Wednesday …
Sabato singled out Michael Bloomberg, founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News's parent company, for two consecutive "mediocre to bad" performances that haven't built upon the billionaire's historic ad buys.
VET DOESN’T DO VETTING … "Amy McGrath Continues to Exploit Coal Miners Suffering From Black Lung," by WFB’s Collin Anderson: Two of the miners, Randy Robbins and Albrow Hall, said they were unaware that the footage taken of them was for a political attack ad. They criticized McGrath for treating "miners suffering from black lung disease as political pawns without their permission" …
The McGrath ad accuses Senate Majority Leader McConnell of meeting with coal miners for "all of one minute" during their trip to Washington, D.C. However, Robbins and Hall labeled the meeting a "success" in a cease and desist letter sent to McGrath in September.
WHEN WILL KAMALA ENDORSE? … "Klobuchar Ramped Up Prosecutions, Except in Cases Against Police," via NYT: Civil rights leaders in Minneapolis say the [Myon] Burrell case was just one example of how [Amy] Klobuchar’s office focused disproportionately on prosecuting African Americans while declining to bring charges in more than two dozen shootings and other civilian fatalities that occurred during encounters with police officers.
NO OBJECTION … "Iran cleric urges people to visit Qom religious site despite coronavirus fears," via AL ARABIYA: The representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the city of Qom called on Iranians to visit the city’s main religious site, calling it a "place of healing," despite the coronavirus outbreak in the city.
"We consider this holy shrine to be a place of healing. That means people should come here to heal from spiritual and physical diseases," said cleric Mohammad Saeedi.
AND THE OSCAR FOR BEST ANTI-SEMITIC DOC … "Al Jazeera Spied on American Jews to Make an Anti-Israel Film. Congress Just Got Invited to the Premiere," by WFB’s Adam Kredo: Multiple congressional offices have received an invitation to the screening of a never-before-seen anti-Israel documentary produced by Al Jazeera that relies heavily on footage obtained by an undercover Qatari spy …
Other panelists include Phyllis Bennis, co-founder of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, a virulently anti-Israel group; Eli Clifton, co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a think tank closely aligned with the historically anti-Semitic isolationist movement; and Ben Freeman, a member of CIP, which is sponsoring the event.
BE SMART, GET RICH … "Axios Running Bloomberg Ads," by WFB’s Alex Griswold: Axios is running ads from Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg disguised as reported news stories, part of a controversial practice known as "native advertising" …
While labeled "a message from Mike Bloomberg," the ads are mocked up to resemble actual Axios stories and appear in the same scroll.
PIVOT TO THE GENERAL … "MSNBC Benches Contributor Who Smeared Bernie Sanders Staffers," via DAILY BEAST: Following MSNBC contributor Dr. Jason Johnson’s inflammatory remarks about supporters and campaign staffers of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), the academic has been temporarily benched by the network, sources confirmed to the Daily Beast …
During an interview last week on SiriusXM’s the Karen Hunter Show, Johnson claimed "racist white liberals" support Sanders and that the senator has done "nothing for intersectionality."
WORKING TITLE: THREE’S A CROWD … "Katie Hill, Who Quit Congress Amid Ethics Inquiry, Will Publish Memoir," via NYT: [During] a farewell speech on the House floor, she delivered a passionate indictment of revenge porn and what she called a "double standard" when it comes to women’s sexual behavior …
Hill will expand on that message in "She Will Rise," a book that is part memoir, part gender-equity battle plan, which Grand Central Publishing plans to publish on Aug. 18.
STRONGER TOGETHER … "In Reversal, Hillary Clinton (Sort of) Pledges to Support Bitter Rival Bernie Sanders Against Trump," by WFB’s Andrew Stiles: "I'll wait and see who we nominate, and I will support the nominee," said Clinton. "And I think it is imperative that we retire the incumbent."
It's not exactly a ringing endorsement of Sanders, though subtle position-shifting has always been a staple of Hillary's underwhelming career in politics … Unless, of course, she still doesn't think Sanders will win the nomination—perhaps because she intends to challenge and defeat him at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee.
Thanks for reading! Send tips to rutz@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-02-28--Continetti: On Coronavirus, Trump Can Help Himself by ‘Showing Command of the Situation’

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti said Thursday that the coronavirus poses a threat to President Donald Trump politically , but he could contrast himself with Democrats favorably by showing leadership .
`` Let 's not forget , fundamentally , elections are between two candidates , '' Continetti said during an appearance on Fox News .
`` If the Trump administration continues to have the responsible measures it 's taking , showing itself in command of the situation , on top of things , and the alternative is , say , Bernie Sanders , who many people are leery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure how we can decide how the coronavirus will play in the general election . ''
He added that if the virus continues to adversely affect the economy , then Democratic candidates would likely benefit because they are the opposition party .
`` I think the economy is the issue , '' he said .
`` To the degree that the coronavirus affects the economy negatively , then it would be , I think , to the advantage of the opposition party . ''
Stocks fell for a sixth consecutive day Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The S & P 500 fell more than 10 percent over the course of a week .

Washington Free Beacon founding editor Matthew Continetti said Thursday that the coronavirus poses a threat to President Donald Trump politically, but he could contrast himself with Democrats favorably by showing leadership.
"Let's not forget, fundamentally, elections are between two candidates," Continetti said during an appearance on Fox News. "If the Trump administration continues to have the responsible measures it's taking, showing itself in command of the situation, on top of things, and the alternative is, say, Bernie Sanders, who many people are leery of, then I'm not so sure how we can decide how the coronavirus will play in the general election."
He added that if the virus continues to adversely affect the economy, then Democratic candidates would likely benefit because they are the opposition party.
"I think the economy is the issue," he said. "To the degree that the coronavirus affects the economy negatively, then it would be, I think, to the advantage of the opposition party."
Stocks fell for a sixth consecutive day Thursday, as the market entered correction territory. The S&P 500 fell more than 10 percent over the course of a week.


freebeacon--2020-02-27--OPINION: Bernie’s Castro Worship Insults the Millions Who Learned to Read Under Right-Wing Dictators

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) , frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination , has come under fire for his inability to stop praising authoritarian communist regimes .
`` When dictatorships , whether it is the Chinese or the Cubans , do something good , you acknowledge that , '' Sanders said during the Democratic debate in South Carolina on Tuesday .
The socialist septuagenarian has been particularly enamored of late with the `` massive literacy program '' implemented in Cuba under Fidel Castro , citing them as evidence that it 's `` unfair to simply say everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Regrettably , the candidate 's narrow focus on the educational achievements of his fellow communists is an insult to the millions of hard-working citizens who learned to read under the direction of right-wing dictators .
In Chile , for example , the right-wing administration of Gen. Augusto Pinochet oversaw a substantial decline in the country 's illiteracy rate—from 11.7 percent in 1970 to just 4.5 percent in 1992—a remarkable achievement that , despite Sanders 's expressed philosophy on authoritarian accomplishments , the candidate has yet to applaud on the campaign trail .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ achievements under the bold right-wing leadership of Gen. Francisco Franco in Spain , where female literacy climbed from 72 percent in 1940 to 88 percent in 1970 .
Nor has Sanders remarked upon the dramatic increase in literacy among Portuguese children—from just 33 percent in 1930 to a whopping 97 percent in 1960—under António Salazar 's Estado Novo in Portugal .
Indonesian dictator Suharto oversaw a violent anti-communist purge in the 1960s but is also `` credited with greatly improving the country 's economy , literacy rates , and public health , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most trusted source of news ( NPR ) .
Millions were lifted out of poverty during Suharto 's 30-year reign , yet Sanders maintains a deafening silence with respect to these achievements and those of other right-wing dictators .
Sanders has similarly neglected Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore , under whom the literacy rate increased from 60 percent in 1960 to 90 percent in 1990 .
By refusing to acknowledge the full spectrum of dictatorial achievements , Sanders is not only betraying his own philosophy .
He is also actively erasing the lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ educations to the benevolence of right-wing autocrats .
Teaching a child to read is always a noble endeavor , not just when a communist decides to do it .
Sanders ca n't have it both ways .
If the members of our media establishment were n't so hopelessly corrupted—and similarly inclined to praise communist tyrants as `` reformers '' —they would insist on holding him to account .
The Democratic Party certainly is n't up to the task .
House Democrats on Thursday unanimously blocked a resolution condemning Sanders for his ostentatious Castro @ @

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has come under fire for his inability to stop praising authoritarian communist regimes.
"When dictatorships, whether it is the Chinese or the Cubans, do something good, you acknowledge that," Sanders said during the Democratic debate in South Carolina on Tuesday. The socialist septuagenarian has been particularly enamored of late with the "massive literacy program" implemented in Cuba under Fidel Castro, citing them as evidence that it's "unfair to simply say everything [in Cuba] is bad."
Regrettably, the candidate's narrow focus on the educational achievements of his fellow communists is an insult to the millions of hard-working citizens who learned to read under the direction of right-wing dictators.
In Chile, for example, the right-wing administration of Gen. Augusto Pinochet oversaw a substantial decline in the country's illiteracy rate—from 11.7 percent in 1970 to just 4.5 percent in 1992—a remarkable achievement that, despite Sanders's expressed philosophy on authoritarian accomplishments, the candidate has yet to applaud on the campaign trail.
Sanders has similarly refused to acknowledge educational achievements under the bold right-wing leadership of Gen. Francisco Franco in Spain, where female literacy climbed from 72 percent in 1940 to 88 percent in 1970. Nor has Sanders remarked upon the dramatic increase in literacy among Portuguese children—from just 33 percent in 1930 to a whopping 97 percent in 1960—under António Salazar's Estado Novo in Portugal.
Indonesian dictator Suharto oversaw a violent anti-communist purge in the 1960s but is also "credited with greatly improving the country's economy, literacy rates, and public health," according to what is presumably Sanders's most trusted source of news (NPR). Millions were lifted out of poverty during Suharto's 30-year reign, yet Sanders maintains a deafening silence with respect to these achievements and those of other right-wing dictators. Sanders has similarly neglected Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, under whom the literacy rate increased from 60 percent in 1960 to 90 percent in 1990.
By refusing to acknowledge the full spectrum of dictatorial achievements, Sanders is not only betraying his own philosophy. He is also actively erasing the lived experience of millions worldwide who owe their educations to the benevolence of right-wing autocrats.
Teaching a child to read is always a noble endeavor, not just when a communist decides to do it. Sanders can't have it both ways. If the members of our media establishment weren't so hopelessly corrupted—and similarly inclined to praise communist tyrants as "reformers"—they would insist on holding him to account.
The Democratic Party certainly isn't up to the task. House Democrats on Thursday unanimously blocked a resolution condemning Sanders for his ostentatious Castro worship.


freebeacon--2020-02-27--House Dems Unanimously Block Resolution Condemning Sanders’s Cuba Comments

House Democrats on Thursday unanimously blocked a resolution condemning Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) over his comments praising murderous Cuban dictator Fidel Castro .
After Sanders commended Castro for a `` massive literacy program '' during a 60 Minutes interview Sunday , Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart ( R. , Fla. ) announced a resolution condemning the Vermont senator .
A Cuban American whose family fled to the United States , Diaz-Balart said the resolution declares `` solidarity with the people of Cuba as they struggle against totalitarianism while demanding human rights , democracy , and freedom . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ party-line vote Thursday , with two Florida Democrats skipping the vote despite previously criticizing Sanders 's comments .
Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell ( D. , Fla. ) and Donna Shalala ( D. , Fla. ) did not vote on the resolution , though both voted on the item immediately following it and Shalala spoke on the House floor just minutes before missing the vote .
Both Democrats slammed Sanders following his defense of Castro .
Mucarsel-Powell called the comments `` absolutely unacceptable '' and Shalala asked Sanders to `` speak to some of my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the praises of a murderous tyrant . ''
Rep. Stephanie Murphy ( D. , Fla. ) also criticized Sanders 's comments , calling them `` ill-informed and insulting . ''
However , she voted to block Diaz-Balart 's resolution .
The three congresswomen represent districts with large populations of Cuban Americans .
They have distanced themselves from Sanders as they face reelection .
`` You can not condemn Israel and compliment Castro and win in Florida , '' Murphy told Bloomberg News .
Sanders has yet to receive an endorsement from Florida 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miami Herald she is `` seriously considering endorsing another candidate . ''
Diaz-Balart 's resolution condemned Castro 's `` use of firing squads , imprisonment , torture , and acts of repudiation to suppress dissent in totalitarian Cuba . ''
The Florida Republican admonished his Democratic colleagues Thursday for voting to block the resolution .
`` It 's shameful that House Democratic Leadership refused the opportunity to condemn Senator Bernie Sanders 's inaccurate , hurtful , and irresponsible comments on the racist , terrorist Castro regime , '' Diaz-Balart said .
`` Unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm proud to , once again , stand with my Republican colleagues in solidarity with the Cuban people and not with the regime that oppresses them . ''

House Democrats on Thursday unanimously blocked a resolution condemning Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) over his comments praising murderous Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
After Sanders commended Castro for a "massive literacy program" during a 60 Minutes interview Sunday, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R., Fla.) announced a resolution condemning the Vermont senator. A Cuban American whose family fled to the United States, Diaz-Balart said the resolution declares "solidarity with the people of Cuba as they struggle against totalitarianism while demanding human rights, democracy, and freedom."
House Democrats blocked the resolution in a party-line vote Thursday, with two Florida Democrats skipping the vote despite previously criticizing Sanders's comments.
Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D., Fla.) and Donna Shalala (D., Fla.) did not vote on the resolution, though both voted on the item immediately following it and Shalala spoke on the House floor just minutes before missing the vote. Both Democrats slammed Sanders following his defense of Castro. Mucarsel-Powell called the comments "absolutely unacceptable" and Shalala asked Sanders to "speak to some of my constituents before [deciding] to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant."
Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D., Fla.) also criticized Sanders's comments, calling them "ill-informed and insulting." However, she voted to block Diaz-Balart's resolution.
The three congresswomen represent districts with large populations of Cuban Americans. They have distanced themselves from Sanders as they face reelection.
"You cannot condemn Israel and compliment Castro and win in Florida," Murphy told Bloomberg News.
Sanders has yet to receive an endorsement from Florida's Democratic congressional delegation. Mucarsel-Powell told the Miami Herald she is "seriously considering endorsing another candidate."
Diaz-Balart's resolution condemned Castro's "use of firing squads, imprisonment, torture, and acts of repudiation to suppress dissent in totalitarian Cuba." The Florida Republican admonished his Democratic colleagues Thursday for voting to block the resolution.
"It's shameful that House Democratic Leadership refused the opportunity to condemn Senator Bernie Sanders's inaccurate, hurtful, and irresponsible comments on the racist, terrorist Castro regime," Diaz-Balart said. "Unlike Sen. Sanders and House Democratic Leadership, I'm proud to, once again, stand with my Republican colleagues in solidarity with the Cuban people and not with the regime that oppresses them."


freebeacon--2020-02-27--Baltimore Democrat Catherine Pugh Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

Former Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh ( D. ) was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to charges of fraud , conspiracy , and tax evasion .
U.S. District Court judge Deborah K. Chasanow said there is no justification for Pugh 's `` astounding '' corruption , which included a scheme to use state contracts to profit off her Healthy Holly children 's books , the Baltimore Sun reported .
`` It is astounding and I have yet frankly to hear any explanation that makes sense , '' Chasanow said .
`` This was not a tiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a very large fraud .
The nature and circumstances of this offense clearly I think are extremely , extremely serious . ''
The judge was unmoved by a video Pugh 's attorneys put forward , in which Pugh apologized repeatedly for harming `` the city 's image . ''
Prosecutors argued the former mayor needed to pay a price for her `` brazen lies to the public , '' which forced her to resign last year .
`` It was not rash behavior , '' prosecutors wrote .
`` Rather , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that built on each other , becoming more audacious and complex leading up to the mayoral election . ''
Pugh 's unusual scheme entailed securing the sale of hundreds of thousands of her Healthy Holly books to the state 's university medical system and health care providers with business in Baltimore .
Health care provider Kaiser Permanente revealed it bought 20,000 copies of the books , paying about $ 114,000 to Healthy Holly LLC between 2015 and 2018 .
Pugh was leading the city 's spending board in 2017 , when Kaiser Permanente @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million contract from the city , Fox News reported .
When she emerged from the courthouse Thursday to address TV cameras , Pugh pledged her love to Baltimore and said , `` This is not the last you 'll see of Catherine Pugh . ''

Former Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh (D.) was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to charges of fraud, conspiracy, and tax evasion.
U.S. District Court judge Deborah K. Chasanow said there is no justification for Pugh's "astounding" corruption, which included a scheme to use state contracts to profit off her Healthy Holly children's books, the Baltimore Sun reported.
"It is astounding and I have yet frankly to hear any explanation that makes sense," Chasanow said. "This was not a tiny mistake, lapse of judgment. This became a very large fraud. The nature and circumstances of this offense clearly I think are extremely, extremely serious."
The judge was unmoved by a video Pugh's attorneys put forward, in which Pugh apologized repeatedly for harming "the city's image." Prosecutors argued the former mayor needed to pay a price for her "brazen lies to the public," which forced her to resign last year.
"It was not rash behavior," prosecutors wrote. "Rather, it was a recurring pattern of well-executed steps that built on each other, becoming more audacious and complex leading up to the mayoral election."
Pugh's unusual scheme entailed securing the sale of hundreds of thousands of her Healthy Holly books to the state's university medical system and health care providers with business in Baltimore. Health care provider Kaiser Permanente revealed it bought 20,000 copies of the books, paying about $114,000 to Healthy Holly LLC between 2015 and 2018. Pugh was leading the city's spending board in 2017, when Kaiser Permanente's Mid-Atlantic subsidiary received a $48 million contract from the city, Fox News reported.
When she emerged from the courthouse Thursday to address TV cameras, Pugh pledged her love to Baltimore and said, "This is not the last you'll see of Catherine Pugh."


freebeacon--2020-02-27--The First Postmodern Pandemic

The First Postmodern Pandemic

The pundits are having difficulty settling on a historical analogy for the COVID-19 coronavirus .
Will the spread of the disease be President Trump 's Katrina or his financial crisis ?
Will it be similar to the H1N1 avian flu pandemic in 2009 or will it be politicized like the Ebola outbreak in 2014 ?
Comparisons are tough .
After all , the situation is unprecedented .
The political consequences of COVID-19 are difficult to predict because of the interplay between a public health emergency and a fractured public narrative .
Coronavirus is the first postmodern pandemic .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a century .
The Spanish Flu of 1918 infected an estimated one-third of the global population .
It had a case fatality rate greater than 2.5 percent—slightly higher than the rate for coronavirus observed in China so far .
More than 600,000 people died in the United States of `` La Grippe . ''
No one wants to see these numbers repeated .
Perhaps they wo n't be .
The malpractice of the Chinese Communists may be responsible for the high fatality rate there .
The rate outside its borders , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower .
And America inhabits a different public health universe than a century ago .
Flu vaccines and therapeutics did not exist .
Hospitals , the sciences of virology and epidemiology , and medical technology were primitive .
Authorities relied on quarantines and appeals for good hygiene .
Results were mixed .
And disappointing .
This is different from the Spanish Flu .
Science , medicine , and public health have improved immeasurably .
But that is not the only difference .
COVID-19 is novel .
No one saw it before last December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came from .
And it has spread quickly .
Despite record advances in gene sequencing and drug testing , it will be more than a year before a vaccine can be mass produced .
The global economy is far more integrated than in the past .
And a worldwide broadcast , digital , and social media exist that would have been fanciful to President Wilson .
This system distributes misinformation , incentivizes hysteria and partisanship , and expects immaculate performance from the government while ignoring , dismissing , and excusing its own failures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hard enough .
Try doing it while watching Don Lemon .
We were better off when the media focused on impeachment .
Now that it is interested in coronavirus , a familiar pattern will set in .
Data will be publicized without the slightest sense of proportion .
The most outrageous scenarios will receive the most attention .
Speculation will be paraded as fact .
And every conceivable negative outcome , from infections to deaths to plunging stock values , from reasonable and warranted travel bans to unanticipated diplomatic and economic fallout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president in an effort to damage his reelection .
Financial journalists who see bears around every corner now point to coronavirus as the irrepressible agent of recession .
A columnist for the New York Times says , `` Let 's Call It Trumpvirus . ''
CNN slams the president 's coronavirus task force for its `` lack of diversity . ''
The Washington Post transcribes Democratic Party talking points when it suggests Vice President Mike Pence is incapable of overseeing the government 's efforts because he opposes needle-sharing programs .
Among the reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health ?
He defunded Planned Parenthood .
The Democrats criticize Trump for budget cuts that never happened .
Chuck Schumer plots a campaign to bash the president for a paltry supplemental request , only to have Trump say Congress can appropriate whatever it wants .
Elizabeth Warren introduces a bill to `` transfer all funding for @ realDonaldTrump 's racist border wall '' to coronavirus defense .
Has she seen her doctor lately ?
This is n't a serious response .
It 's a tantrum .
There are plenty of additional things the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outbreak .
My American Enterprise Institute colleague , former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb , M.D.
, has several recommendations , including allowing for more testing .
What the media and Democrats offer instead are dispatches from Resistance Land—that magical place where the border is open , Medicare is for all , the New Deal is Green , and coronavirus is n't the problem , Donald Trump is .
Knowledge of the physical universe has grown exponentially since 1918 .
So have the means by which we are able to express discontent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Which is why I do have one prediction about the weeks ahead : Our politics will remain nasty , polarized , overheated , and dispiriting .
Even as Mother Nature reminds us who 's really in charge .

The pundits are having difficulty settling on a historical analogy for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Will the spread of the disease be President Trump's Katrina or his financial crisis? Will it be similar to the H1N1 avian flu pandemic in 2009 or will it be politicized like the Ebola outbreak in 2014?
Comparisons are tough. After all, the situation is unprecedented. The political consequences of COVID-19 are difficult to predict because of the interplay between a public health emergency and a fractured public narrative. Coronavirus is the first postmodern pandemic.
It has the makings of a phenomenon not seen in a century. The Spanish Flu of 1918 infected an estimated one-third of the global population. It had a case fatality rate greater than 2.5 percent—slightly higher than the rate for coronavirus observed in China so far. More than 600,000 people died in the United States of "La Grippe." No one wants to see these numbers repeated.
Perhaps they won't be. The malpractice of the Chinese Communists may be responsible for the high fatality rate there. The rate outside its borders, according to the World Health Organization, is lower. And America inhabits a different public health universe than a century ago. Flu vaccines and therapeutics did not exist. Hospitals, the sciences of virology and epidemiology, and medical technology were primitive. Authorities relied on quarantines and appeals for good hygiene. Results were mixed. And disappointing.
This is different from the Spanish Flu. Science, medicine, and public health have improved immeasurably. But that is not the only difference. COVID-19 is novel. No one saw it before last December. No one is sure where it came from. And it has spread quickly. Despite record advances in gene sequencing and drug testing, it will be more than a year before a vaccine can be mass produced.
The global economy is far more integrated than in the past. And a worldwide broadcast, digital, and social media exist that would have been fanciful to President Wilson. This system distributes misinformation, incentivizes hysteria and partisanship, and expects immaculate performance from the government while ignoring, dismissing, and excusing its own failures. Dealing with "community spread" is hard enough. Try doing it while watching Don Lemon.
We were better off when the media focused on impeachment. Now that it is interested in coronavirus, a familiar pattern will set in. Data will be publicized without the slightest sense of proportion. The most outrageous scenarios will receive the most attention. Speculation will be paraded as fact. And every conceivable negative outcome, from infections to deaths to plunging stock values, from reasonable and warranted travel bans to unanticipated diplomatic and economic fallout, will be related back to the president in an effort to damage his reelection.
Financial journalists who see bears around every corner now point to coronavirus as the irrepressible agent of recession. A columnist for the New York Times says, "Let's Call It Trumpvirus." CNN slams the president's coronavirus task force for its "lack of diversity." The Washington Post transcribes Democratic Party talking points when it suggests Vice President Mike Pence is incapable of overseeing the government's efforts because he opposes needle-sharing programs. Among the reasons Trump is said to have weakened public health? He defunded Planned Parenthood.
The Democrats criticize Trump for budget cuts that never happened. Chuck Schumer plots a campaign to bash the president for a paltry supplemental request, only to have Trump say Congress can appropriate whatever it wants. Elizabeth Warren introduces a bill to "transfer all funding for @realDonaldTrump's racist border wall" to coronavirus defense. Has she seen her doctor lately?
This isn't a serious response. It's a tantrum. There are plenty of additional things the Trump administration could do to prepare for an outbreak. My American Enterprise Institute colleague, former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., has several recommendations, including allowing for more testing. What the media and Democrats offer instead are dispatches from Resistance Land—that magical place where the border is open, Medicare is for all, the New Deal is Green, and coronavirus isn't the problem, Donald Trump is.
Knowledge of the physical universe has grown exponentially since 1918. So have the means by which we are able to express discontent, fear, blame, and unreason. Which is why I do have one prediction about the weeks ahead: Our politics will remain nasty, polarized, overheated, and dispiriting. Even as Mother Nature reminds us who's really in charge.