freebeacon--2020-11-17--644 New Yorkers Dead From COVID Since Andrew Cuomo Published Book About Pandemic Leadership

More than 600 New Yorkers have died from COVID-19 since Oct. 13 , the release date of Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo 's self-congratulatory book about his leadership during the pandemic .
In a normal society , Cuomo would have been resoundingly mocked for thinking it was a good idea to write a book about pandemic leadership .
Everyone involved in the publication of American Crisis : Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic would be overcome with shame .
But we do n't live in a normal society , because American Crisis is currently ranked on Amazon as the top-selling title @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cuomo 's actual ( abysmal ) performance in terms of combating COVID-19 has been repeatedly glossed over by glowing media coverage .
At one point , he was considered a legitimate late-entry candidate to win the Democratic presidential nomination .
The incessant fawning by professional journalists helped elevate Cuomo , aka the `` Love Gov , '' to sex symbol status among a certain segment of the deranged liberal population .
The worst offender , CNN , allowed its anchor Chris Cuomo to conduct cheeky , light-hearted interviews with his older brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The interviews , which occasionally involved props , were remarkably devoid of substance , but did yield some viral moments in which the brothers disagreed about who called their mother more often , and resulted in headlines such as : `` Chris Cuomo 's Latest Sibling Rivalry Stunt Leaves Governor Andrew Cuomo Laughing Out Loud . ''
For some reason , possibly or perhaps entirely related to the fact that Cuomo is a Democrat , the governor was not widely accused of orchestrating the mass murder of elderly New Yorkers by forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients already infected with the highly contagious virus .
Cuomo 's attempts to deny this were so egregious that even CNN was compelled to call out his `` false '' claims .
New York continues to boast a commanding lead in statewide COVID death counts at 33,540 , according to data compiled by the New York Times .
That 's more than 50 percent higher than Texas , which holds the second-place spot at 20,157 despite having almost 10 million more people .
New York 's deaths-per-million rate stands at 1,749 , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighboring New Jersey .
To contextualize the 644 New Yorkers who have died from COVID since Cuomo published his leadership book , consider the following : • More than 1,000 New Yorkers have died since Cuomo 's book was announced on Aug. 18 .
• More than 1,500 New Yorkers have died since July 14 , when Cuomo unveiled a celebratory poster declaring victory over the virus .
• More than 5,000 New Yorkers have died since May 21 , when Chris Cuomo playfully mocked his brother 's large nose with an oversized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that aired on CNN .

More than 600 New Yorkers have died from COVID-19 since Oct. 13, the release date of Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo's self-congratulatory book about his leadership during the pandemic.
In a normal society, Cuomo would have been resoundingly mocked for thinking it was a good idea to write a book about pandemic leadership. Everyone involved in the publication of American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic would be overcome with shame. But we don't live in a normal society, because American Crisis is currently ranked on Amazon as the top-selling title in the "Forensic Medicine" category.
Cuomo's actual (abysmal) performance in terms of combating COVID-19 has been repeatedly glossed over by glowing media coverage. At one point, he was considered a legitimate late-entry candidate to win the Democratic presidential nomination. The incessant fawning by professional journalists helped elevate Cuomo, aka the "Love Gov," to sex symbol status among a certain segment of the deranged liberal population.
The worst offender, CNN, allowed its anchor Chris Cuomo to conduct cheeky, light-hearted interviews with his older brother Andrew about a subject of deadly importance. The interviews, which occasionally involved props, were remarkably devoid of substance, but did yield some viral moments in which the brothers disagreed about who called their mother more often, and resulted in headlines such as: "Chris Cuomo's Latest Sibling Rivalry Stunt Leaves Governor Andrew Cuomo Laughing Out Loud."
For some reason, possibly or perhaps entirely related to the fact that Cuomo is a Democrat, the governor was not widely accused of orchestrating the mass murder of elderly New Yorkers by forcing nursing homes to take in thousands of patients already infected with the highly contagious virus. Cuomo's attempts to deny this were so egregious that even CNN was compelled to call out his "false" claims.
New York continues to boast a commanding lead in statewide COVID death counts at 33,540, according to data compiled by the New York Times. That's more than 50 percent higher than Texas, which holds the second-place spot at 20,157 despite having almost 10 million more people. New York's deaths-per-million rate stands at 1,749, which is good enough for second place behind neighboring New Jersey.
To contextualize the 644 New Yorkers who have died from COVID since Cuomo published his leadership book, consider the following:


freebeacon--2020-11-17--Pompeo Forgoes Meetings With Turkish Officials, Shifts Focus to Religious Liberty

ISTANBUL—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo focused his overnight stay in Turkey on private powwows with Christian faith leaders , eschewing meetings with senior Turkish officials on Tuesday .
Turkish officials have called on Pompeo to visit for some time , but scheduling conflicts prevented the Trump administration ’ s top diplomat from meeting with senior leaders in Ankara , the country ’ s capital , according to senior State Department officials .
Turkey ’ s foreign ministry called Pompeo ’ s decision `` extremely inappropriate . ''
State Department officials downplayed the diplomatic row , chalking it up to nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were moments when we thought it could and would [ work ] , but then the Turks told us President Erdogan 's schedule had itself changed and I attribute to this no political message whatsoever , '' a senior State Department official said .
`` It literally was a scheduling issue from the standpoint of the secretary of state and the scheduling issue from the standpoint of President Erdogan and his own travels . ''
Pompeo spent Tuesday afternoon touring religious sites in Istanbul and meeting with Greek Orthodox Christian leader Ecumenical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of St. George .
Pompeo and Bartholomew I privately discussed ongoing tensions between the Turkish government and the Christian community living in the country .
Pompeo 's wife Susan and U.S. ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield joined Pompeo in the meeting .
Pompeo later toured the Rustem Pasha Mosque , a regional religious landmark built in 1563 .
At both the mosque and church , Pompeo promoted the Trump administration ’ s long-running religious liberty agenda , which has sought to build bridges between the region ’ s Muslim nations and its minority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private meeting with Archbishop Paul Russell , a Catholic church leader who serves as apostolic nuncio to Turkey , Turkmenistan , and Azerbaijan .
Monsignor Walter Erbi , chargé d ’ affaires at the apostolic nunciature in Washington , also joined the meeting .
In his meetings in Istanbul , Pompeo emphasized the administration ’ s commitment to promoting religious freedom around the globe and discussed with the church leaders he met ways the United States could support their interfaith peace efforts .
The religious backdrop for Pompeo ’ s visit was intentional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year when it converted Istanbul ’ s Hagia Sophia Christian cathedral from a museum into a mosque , drawing outrage from religious leaders , including Pope Francis , who said in July that he was `` pained '' by the move .
Under Erdogan ’ s leadership , Turkey has sought to `` limit the rights of non-Muslim religious minorities , '' according to the State Department ’ s 2019 report on religious freedoms worldwide .
Christian immigrants also have faced widespread intimidation , particularly Christian refugees who have fled war-torn Syria for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo ’ s visit was meant to send a clear message to interfaith leaders in Turkey and around the world that the Trump administration continues to prioritize issues of religious freedom , in what is likely to be its final months in office .
`` Religious freedom has been an important priority of the Trump administration from the very beginning , '' said a senior State Department official traveling as part of Pompeo ’ s delegation .

ISTANBUL—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo focused his overnight stay in Turkey on private powwows with Christian faith leaders, eschewing meetings with senior Turkish officials on Tuesday.
Turkish officials have called on Pompeo to visit for some time, but scheduling conflicts prevented the Trump administration’s top diplomat from meeting with senior leaders in Ankara, the country’s capital, according to senior State Department officials. Turkey’s foreign ministry called Pompeo’s decision "extremely inappropriate."
State Department officials downplayed the diplomatic row, chalking it up to nothing more than a scheduling conflict. "There were moments when we thought it could and would [work], but then the Turks told us President Erdogan's schedule had itself changed and I attribute to this no political message whatsoever," a senior State Department official said. "It literally was a scheduling issue from the standpoint of the secretary of state and the scheduling issue from the standpoint of President Erdogan and his own travels."
Pompeo spent Tuesday afternoon touring religious sites in Istanbul and meeting with Greek Orthodox Christian leader Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at the historic Church of St. George. Pompeo and Bartholomew I privately discussed ongoing tensions between the Turkish government and the Christian community living in the country. Pompeo's wife Susan and U.S. ambassador to Turkey David Satterfield joined Pompeo in the meeting.
Pompeo later toured the Rustem Pasha Mosque, a regional religious landmark built in 1563. At both the mosque and church, Pompeo promoted the Trump administration’s long-running religious liberty agenda, which has sought to build bridges between the region’s Muslim nations and its minority faith populations.
Pompeo also had a private meeting with Archbishop Paul Russell, a Catholic church leader who serves as apostolic nuncio to Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan. Monsignor Walter Erbi, chargé d’affaires at the apostolic nunciature in Washington, also joined the meeting.
In his meetings in Istanbul, Pompeo emphasized the administration’s commitment to promoting religious freedom around the globe and discussed with the church leaders he met ways the United States could support their interfaith peace efforts.
The religious backdrop for Pompeo’s visit was intentional: Turkey garnered international headlines earlier this year when it converted Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Christian cathedral from a museum into a mosque, drawing outrage from religious leaders, including Pope Francis, who said in July that he was "pained" by the move. Under Erdogan’s leadership, Turkey has sought to "limit the rights of non-Muslim religious minorities," according to the State Department’s 2019 report on religious freedoms worldwide.
Christian immigrants also have faced widespread intimidation, particularly Christian refugees who have fled war-torn Syria for Turkey.
Senior State Department officials said Pompeo’s visit was meant to send a clear message to interfaith leaders in Turkey and around the world that the Trump administration continues to prioritize issues of religious freedom, in what is likely to be its final months in office.
"Religious freedom has been an important priority of the Trump administration from the very beginning," said a senior State Department official traveling as part of Pompeo’s delegation.


freebeacon--2020-11-17--Ilhan Omar Likens Trump Rallies to ‘Klan Rallies’

Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D. , Minn. ) likened President Donald Trump 's campaign rallies to Ku Klux Klan rallies in a Monday interview with the Washington Post .
Trump `` chose to speak about me at every single rally , did n't really matter where he was , sometimes multiple times in a day , as he held his Klan rallies across the country , '' Omar said to Post opinion writer Jonathan Capehart .
Omar , a member of the far-left group of House Democrats known as `` the Squad , '' reflected on ousting President Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assault '' on refugees and immigrants like her .
She also discussed infighting between moderate and leftist Democrats , sparked by the party 's lackluster House and Senate election results .
Omar said in the interview that the rift within the Democratic Party `` is n't as strong as it 's being made out to be , '' despite House Democrats ' chaotic post-election phone call .
During the call , Abigail Spanberger ( D. , Va. ) , who was first elected to the House alongside Omar in 2018 , blamed leftists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her near-loss in this election .
Throughout the Trump presidency , `` the Squad '' and other progressive Democrats have likened President Donald Trump and his supporters to fascists and white supremacists .
Omar also compared the president 's rallies to Klan rallies in a tweet last year .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) quoted a Klansman to criticize Trump 's national security policies in a tweet last year , and failed Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke compared Trump 's rallies to Nazi meetings .

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) likened President Donald Trump's campaign rallies to Ku Klux Klan rallies in a Monday interview with the Washington Post.
Trump "chose to speak about me at every single rally, didn't really matter where he was, sometimes multiple times in a day, as he held his Klan rallies across the country," Omar said to Post opinion writer Jonathan Capehart.
Omar, a member of the far-left group of House Democrats known as "the Squad," reflected on ousting President Trump and what she perceived as "a four-year assault" on refugees and immigrants like her. She also discussed infighting between moderate and leftist Democrats, sparked by the party's lackluster House and Senate election results.
Omar said in the interview that the rift within the Democratic Party "isn't as strong as it's being made out to be," despite House Democrats' chaotic post-election phone call. During the call, Abigail Spanberger (D., Va.), who was first elected to the House alongside Omar in 2018, blamed leftists' radical anti-police and socialist messaging for her near-loss in this election.
Throughout the Trump presidency, "the Squad" and other progressive Democrats have likened President Donald Trump and his supporters to fascists and white supremacists.
Omar also compared the president's rallies to Klan rallies in a tweet last year. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) quoted a Klansman to criticize Trump's national security policies in a tweet last year, and failed Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke compared Trump's rallies to Nazi meetings.


freebeacon--2020-11-17--Synagogues Say Cuomo’s COVID Rules Discriminate Against Jews

New York governor Andrew Cuomo ’ s ( D. ) coronavirus restrictions discriminate against Jews and violate the First Amendment , a coalition of Jewish groups told the Supreme Court in an emergency filing Monday afternoon .
The contested restrictions were imposed after a sharp increase in coronavirus infections in New York City .
The governor called the outbreak `` predominantly an ultra-Orthodox cluster '' and attributed it to Jewish religious practices in an Oct. 5 press conference .
`` In a series of press conferences , the governor explained that he was enacting new restrictions on places of worship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orthodox Jews , because he believed that this religious minority is to blame for a recent increase in COVID-19 infection rates , '' Monday 's application reads .
`` The governor left no doubt that targeting Orthodox Jews was his primary motivation . ''
The appeal could mark a turning point in pandemic-driven restrictions on worship .
While the Supreme Court has turned away several religious-liberty challenges to COVID regulations , Monday 's case is unique because Cuomo singled out Orthodox Jews when discussing the order in public .
Prior challenges were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
The emergency filing asks the justices to decide on their application by 3:00 p.m. Friday , just ahead of the Sabbath .
Agudath Israel of America , an umbrella organization for Orthodox Jews , is leading the effort .
Synagogues in Brooklyn and Queens are also involved .
Cuomo 's rules create three types of zones with corresponding restrictions .
The plaintiffs allege that the `` orange '' and `` red '' zones established so far have been rigged to encircle as many Jewish people as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early iteration of the rules did not include any criteria for designating zones where restrictions apply , a further sign of discrimination .
`` When the restricted areas in Brooklyn are overlaid on a map of Orthodox synagogues , yeshivas , and businesses in the area , the governor 's targeting of Orthodox Jewish communities is readily apparent , '' the application reads .
In court papers , lawyers for the plaintiffs compare Monday 's controversy to Masterpiece Cakeshop , a 2018 Supreme Court case involving a Christian baker who declined to bake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The justices sided with the baker , Jack Phillips , saying that state officials showed obvious hostility to Phillips 's religious views when they should have been strictly neutral .
For example , a civil-rights commissioner said Phillips 's views were merely a pretext for discrimination during an official proceeding against him .
Cuomo 's comments likewise show that New York state is singling out a religious group for unfair treatment , the application argues .
`` If anything , the governor ’ s contemporaneous comments here are worse than those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The governor did not attack religious belief generally , but singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution for an uptick in a society-wide pandemic . ''
The restrictions should therefore be subject to the highest degree of legal scrutiny , the plaintiffs say .
U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto upheld Cuomo 's order during an emergency hearing in October , saying the public health emergency outweighed any burdens on religion .
`` How can we ignore the compelling state interest in protecting the health and life of all New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Second U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently upheld that decision over the dissent of Judge Michael Park , a Trump appointee .
The state has not yet responded to Monday 's application .
Cuomo defended the initiative in an October press conference , claiming zone lines are drawn precisely to track confirmed COVID cases .
He also noted that houses of worship are allowed to accommodate a few worshipers at a time , while non-essential businesses must close altogether .
`` The majority of ultra-Orthodox groups I 've spoken with have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a relatively small number that 's uncooperative and just believe they should be exempt from these government operations . ''
A separate challenge to Cuomo 's order from the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is also pending before the High Court .
The Jewish groups filed their own legal papers because the discriminatory targeting of Orthodox Jews raises unique legal issues .
The case is No .
20A90 Agudath Israel of America v. Cuomo .

New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s (D.) coronavirus restrictions discriminate against Jews and violate the First Amendment, a coalition of Jewish groups told the Supreme Court in an emergency filing Monday afternoon.
The contested restrictions were imposed after a sharp increase in coronavirus infections in New York City. The governor called the outbreak "predominantly an ultra-Orthodox cluster" and attributed it to Jewish religious practices in an Oct. 5 press conference.
"In a series of press conferences, the governor explained that he was enacting new restrictions on places of worship, in certain neighborhoods that contain many Orthodox Jews, because he believed that this religious minority is to blame for a recent increase in COVID-19 infection rates," Monday's application reads. "The governor left no doubt that targeting Orthodox Jews was his primary motivation."
The appeal could mark a turning point in pandemic-driven restrictions on worship. While the Supreme Court has turned away several religious-liberty challenges to COVID regulations, Monday's case is unique because Cuomo singled out Orthodox Jews when discussing the order in public. Prior challenges were also decided before Justice Amy Coney Barrett replaced the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The emergency filing asks the justices to decide on their application by 3:00 p.m. Friday, just ahead of the Sabbath. Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella organization for Orthodox Jews, is leading the effort. Synagogues in Brooklyn and Queens are also involved.
Cuomo's rules create three types of zones with corresponding restrictions. The plaintiffs allege that the "orange" and "red" zones established so far have been rigged to encircle as many Jewish people as possible. They also note that an early iteration of the rules did not include any criteria for designating zones where restrictions apply, a further sign of discrimination.
"When the restricted areas in Brooklyn are overlaid on a map of Orthodox synagogues, yeshivas, and businesses in the area, the governor's targeting of Orthodox Jewish communities is readily apparent," the application reads.
In court papers, lawyers for the plaintiffs compare Monday's controversy to Masterpiece Cakeshop, a 2018 Supreme Court case involving a Christian baker who declined to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple. The justices sided with the baker, Jack Phillips, saying that state officials showed obvious hostility to Phillips's religious views when they should have been strictly neutral. For example, a civil-rights commissioner said Phillips's views were merely a pretext for discrimination during an official proceeding against him.
Cuomo's comments likewise show that New York state is singling out a religious group for unfair treatment, the application argues.
"If anything, the governor’s contemporaneous comments here are worse than those in Masterpiece Cakeshop," the application reads. "The governor did not attack religious belief generally, but singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution for an uptick in a society-wide pandemic." The restrictions should therefore be subject to the highest degree of legal scrutiny, the plaintiffs say.
U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto upheld Cuomo's order during an emergency hearing in October, saying the public health emergency outweighed any burdens on religion. "How can we ignore the compelling state interest in protecting the health and life of all New Yorkers?" Matsumoto said. The Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals subsequently upheld that decision over the dissent of Judge Michael Park, a Trump appointee.
The state has not yet responded to Monday's application. Cuomo defended the initiative in an October press conference, claiming zone lines are drawn precisely to track confirmed COVID cases. He also noted that houses of worship are allowed to accommodate a few worshipers at a time, while non-essential businesses must close altogether.
"The majority of ultra-Orthodox groups I've spoken with have been cooperative," Cuomo said. "There’s a relatively small number that's uncooperative and just believe they should be exempt from these government operations."
A separate challenge to Cuomo's order from the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is also pending before the High Court. The Jewish groups filed their own legal papers because the discriminatory targeting of Orthodox Jews raises unique legal issues.
The case is No. 20A90 Agudath Israel of America v. Cuomo.


freebeacon--2020-11-17--‘Uniter in Chief’ Biden Urges Congress to Pass Nancy Pelosi’s Partisan COVID Relief Bill

Joe Biden campaigned for president as a uniting figure who would bring the country together by transcending partisanship in Washington .
However , in one of his first policy-related pronouncements as president-elect , Biden urged Congress to `` come together '' to pass legislation that most Republicans view as a nonstarter and was rejected by moderate Democrats representing swing districts .
In calling on Congress to approve the HEROES Act , the COVID-19 relief package that narrowly passed the Democratic-controlled House in May , the president-elect is embracing a partisan proposal with a $ 3 trillion price tag .
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R. , N.Y. ) —voted for it , while 14 Democrats opposed it .
The bill contains provisions that Democrats supported long before the onset of the pandemic , such as student debt forgiveness and financial mismanagement forgiveness to state governments with unsustainable pension liabilities .
According to Politico , even House Democrats `` acknowledge that their behemoth proposal … is more of a talking point than legislation that they expect to become law . ''
David Dayen of the American Prospect called the HEROES Act a `` kitchen sink wish list '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` reflects the real incoherence of the Democratic position . ''
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R. , Ky. ) called it `` outlandish . ''
One of the House Democrats who voted against the HEROES Act was Rep. Abigail Spanberger ( D. , Va. ) , who had some harsh words for her own party after narrowly winning reelection .
During a post-election conference call with her Democratic colleagues , Spanberger blasted the increasingly influential radical left wing of the party and urged her colleagues to refrain from embracing socialism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police . ''
It remains to be seen whether Biden , who will turn 78 on Friday , will actually be inaugurated in January .
Nancy Pelosi , who will turn 81 in March , might not be around much longer , either .
In any event , the hard-left radicals who control the Democratic Party might prefer a malleable puppet ( Biden ) as president , especially when the alternative , Kamala Harris , is renowned for her insatiable ambition .

Joe Biden campaigned for president as a uniting figure who would bring the country together by transcending partisanship in Washington.
However, in one of his first policy-related pronouncements as president-elect, Biden urged Congress to "come together" to pass legislation that most Republicans view as a nonstarter and was rejected by moderate Democrats representing swing districts.
In calling on Congress to approve the HEROES Act, the COVID-19 relief package that narrowly passed the Democratic-controlled House in May, the president-elect is embracing a partisan proposal with a $3 trillion price tag. Only one Republican member—Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.)—voted for it, while 14 Democrats opposed it.
The bill contains provisions that Democrats supported long before the onset of the pandemic, such as student debt forgiveness and financial mismanagement forgiveness to state governments with unsustainable pension liabilities. According to Politico, even House Democrats "acknowledge that their behemoth proposal ... is more of a talking point than legislation that they expect to become law."
David Dayen of the American Prospect called the HEROES Act a "kitchen sink wish list" and "jumble of ideas" that "reflects the real incoherence of the Democratic position." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) called it "outlandish."
One of the House Democrats who voted against the HEROES Act was Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D., Va.), who had some harsh words for her own party after narrowly winning reelection. During a post-election conference call with her Democratic colleagues, Spanberger blasted the increasingly influential radical left wing of the party and urged her colleagues to refrain from embracing socialism and controversial slogans such as "defund the police."
It remains to be seen whether Biden, who will turn 78 on Friday, will actually be inaugurated in January. Nancy Pelosi, who will turn 81 in March, might not be around much longer, either. In any event, the hard-left radicals who control the Democratic Party might prefer a malleable puppet (Biden) as president, especially when the alternative, Kamala Harris, is renowned for her insatiable ambition.


freebeacon--2020-11-17--Week After Attending Election Party, Lightfoot Says Chicagoans Have ‘Responsibility’ to Obey Lockdow

Week After Attending Election Party, Lightfoot Says Chicagoans Have ‘Responsibility’ to Obey Lockdown

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot ( D. ) on Tuesday urged Chicagoans to stay home and avoid large crowds one week after she participated in a large rally celebrating the election of Joe Biden .
`` We are urging people to stay home , to not be in large crowds , to wear face coverings , and really take responsibility for their own lives , for the lives of their family members and for the lives of other people in the city , '' she said on MSNBC 's Morning Joe .
`` We have to rise above the me and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a larger obligation to each other that we have got to get to . ''
Lightfoot 's stay-at-home advisory comes just one week after the mayor went maskless into a large crowd of Biden supporters and told them , `` You should absolutely celebrate this victory and savor every minute of it . ''
She defended the gathering by claiming on MSNBC last week that all attendees were wearing masks—which her own Twitter video disproves—and faced no pushback , even as she used the interview to tell citizens not to meet in `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional Thanksgiving plans should be canceled .
Lightfoot is not the only Democratic leader who has shown disregard for coronavirus restrictions .
California governor Gavin Newsom ( D. ) attended a lavish dinner party with a top lobbyist this month , which he apologized for Tuesday .
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) also sparked controversy in August by flouting coronavirus restrictions to get her hair done , excusing herself by saying it was `` a setup . ''

Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot (D.) on Tuesday urged Chicagoans to stay home and avoid large crowds one week after she participated in a large rally celebrating the election of Joe Biden.
"We are urging people to stay home, to not be in large crowds, to wear face coverings, and really take responsibility for their own lives, for the lives of their family members and for the lives of other people in the city," she said on MSNBC's Morning Joe. "We have to rise above the me and get to the we. We have a larger obligation to each other that we have got to get to."
Lightfoot's stay-at-home advisory comes just one week after the mayor went maskless into a large crowd of Biden supporters and told them, "You should absolutely celebrate this victory and savor every minute of it." She defended the gathering by claiming on MSNBC last week that all attendees were wearing masks—which her own Twitter video disproves—and faced no pushback, even as she used the interview to tell citizens not to meet in "private places." She also said traditional Thanksgiving plans should be canceled.
Lightfoot is not the only Democratic leader who has shown disregard for coronavirus restrictions. California governor Gavin Newsom (D.) attended a lavish dinner party with a top lobbyist this month, which he apologized for Tuesday. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) also sparked controversy in August by flouting coronavirus restrictions to get her hair done, excusing herself by saying it was "a setup."


freebeacon--2020-11-17--DC Public School Lesson: Capitalism Caused Coronavirus

A District of Columbia public school teacher encouraged students to blame the coronavirus pandemic on racism and capitalism instead of China , according to a lesson plan obtained by the Washington Free Beacon .
Hardy Middle School teacher Caneisha Mills had her students host a `` People 's Tribunal on the Coronavirus Pandemic , '' whose `` defendants '' included racism , capitalism , and the United States government .
`` I wanted to … point out that the capitalist system was behind the pain , trauma , isolation , and destitution [ my students ] were facing , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the U.S. government left us to die . ''
As part of the tribunal , students had to answer a series of leading questions about America 's coronavirus response .
`` How does capitalism in the United States cause crises like the coronavirus and the flu pandemic of 1918 , '' one worksheet asked .
`` If the government and capitalist system are guilty , what should be the ‘ sentence ' ? ''
The material also applauded China for its handling of the coronavirus without mentioning its authoritarian political system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a government should take in times of crisis , '' a handout for the exercise claimed , and `` donated tons of medical supplies … to the United States . ''
Mills uploaded her lesson plan to the Zinn Education Project , a group named after the well-known socialist academic Howard Zinn .
It boasts a following of more than 110,000 teachers and claims to be a `` leading resource '' in education .
Noam Chomsky is among the supporters of the project .
Mills said the exercise drew inspiration from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationalist group founded in 1966 .
The Black Panthers ' stated objectives include the release of all black people from prisons and the creation of a black-only colony .
According to Mills , her students `` wanted to put Donald Trump , Mike Pence , and all members of the federal government in jail '' for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
The public school teacher said she felt assured by her students ' desire to `` fight against a racist capitalist system that harms us all . ''
Hardy Middle School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment .

A District of Columbia public school teacher encouraged students to blame the coronavirus pandemic on racism and capitalism instead of China, according to a lesson plan obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
Hardy Middle School teacher Caneisha Mills had her students host a "People's Tribunal on the Coronavirus Pandemic," whose "defendants" included racism, capitalism, and the United States government. "I wanted to … point out that the capitalist system was behind the pain, trauma, isolation, and destitution [my students] were facing," Mills said. "Capitalism, racism, and the U.S. government left us to die."
As part of the tribunal, students had to answer a series of leading questions about America's coronavirus response. "How does capitalism in the United States cause crises like the coronavirus and the flu pandemic of 1918," one worksheet asked. "If the government and capitalist system are guilty, what should be the 'sentence'?"
The material also applauded China for its handling of the coronavirus without mentioning its authoritarian political system. China took "exactly the measures that a government should take in times of crisis," a handout for the exercise claimed, and "donated tons of medical supplies … to the United States."
Mills uploaded her lesson plan to the Zinn Education Project, a group named after the well-known socialist academic Howard Zinn. It boasts a following of more than 110,000 teachers and claims to be a "leading resource" in education. Noam Chomsky is among the supporters of the project.
Mills said the exercise drew inspiration from the Black Panthers, an anti-capitalist, black nationalist group founded in 1966. The Black Panthers' stated objectives include the release of all black people from prisons and the creation of a black-only colony.
According to Mills, her students "wanted to put Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and all members of the federal government in jail" for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The public school teacher said she felt assured by her students' desire to "fight against a racist capitalist system that harms us all."
Hardy Middle School did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Biden Drug Team Ices Out Pro-Legalization Progressives

The team slated to lead Joe Biden 's transition at a top drug agency is devoid of representatives of progressive drug policy organizations , a departure from the president-elect 's conciliatory stance on the campaign trail .
A six-man team will steer Biden 's takeover of the Office of National Drug Control Policy , which coordinates government anti-narcotic efforts under the aegis of the so-called drug czar .
But none in the group come from the array of left-leaning organizations that push for drug decriminalization and legalization , and which have recently exercised influence over more progressive Democrats .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy on Obama administration veterans , including a former Department of Homeland Security official responsible for narcotics enforcement and a senior ONDCP adviser who has supported decriminalization but drawn a line at the legalization of many drugs .
The absence of progressive drug policy advocates reflects Biden 's relative conservatism on drug issues , a stance that puts him increasingly out of step with the organized left .
Biden attempted to downplay this difference on the campaign trail , emphasizing his support for decriminalization , particularly to young voters , and selecting arch-reformer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His change of tone has drug-policy progressives worried and ready to push back from day one .
`` You have an incoming administration that has n't been very progressive on marijuana , '' Maritza Perez , national affairs director of the progressive Drug Policy Alliance , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` Joe Biden has proposed rescheduling marijuana , which is insufficient .
It does n't address any of the issues that we 've brought up .
… So that gives us a lot of cause for concern . ''
Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rahul Gupta , who served as the public health commissioner of West Virginia , one of the states most ravaged by the drug crisis .
In that capacity , he oversaw the state 's rollout of medical marijuana but steered away from recommending that users smoke the drug , recommending vaping instead .
This profile—neither an anti-drug hardliner nor a rabid advocate—is characteristic of the other team members .
Jacob Rich , a policy analyst with the libertarian-leaning Reason Foundation , highlighted the Urban Institute 's Kimberlyn Leary and Georgetown 's Regina LaBelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Leary and LaBelle `` seem like centrists who seek to reduce stigma and prosecution for drug addiction , '' Rich told the Free Beacon .
`` LaBelle worked with [ Barack ] Obama to implement his opioid interventions , so I assume we 'll see further reductions in prescribing .
I think this will lead to more deaths , but I 'm in the minority . ''
Leary 's public profile is largely silent on the issue of drugs , as her expertise is in public health governance more generally .
LaBelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has advocated for `` prevention and treatment '' over `` criminalization '' of drug use .
But she was also , as Rich noted , involved in the Obama administration 's push for opioid supply controls .
And in a 2018 interview , she said she was `` personally … not in favor of legalization of a number of drugs , '' comparing legal narcotics unfavorably with legal cigarettes and alcohol .
The Biden team also includes Kimberly O'Connor , who served throughout the Obama Department of Homeland Security , at points overseeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She also served in the second Bush administration , during which she authored model legislation for state drug courts .
Both achievements indicate a profile unfavorable to progressive views on drugs .
Two others round out the team .
Mario Moreno served as spokesman for the Obama ONDCP , in which capacity he said that the government supported using both law enforcement and public health approaches to combat drug abuse , and `` opposes drug legalization because it runs counter to a public health and safety approach to drug policy . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan ACLU , worked for NASA under Obama and is also serving on that transition team .
Perez told the Free Beacon that she was unfamiliar with any of the names on Biden 's transition list but said that her organization is pushing for supporters of a `` public health '' approach to drug policy at agencies like ONDCP and the DEA .
Biden has `` a lot to prove , '' Perez said , noting his historical opposition to marijuana legalization and support for `` tough on crime '' policies .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary , where Biden was one of only two major candidates to oppose marijuana legalization ( the other was Michael Bloomberg ) .
While refusing to compromise on legalization , Biden made every gesture during the campaign of being sympathetic to drug reformers ' agenda , advocating for decriminalizing the drug at the federal level and calling for its use to be prosecuted as a misdemeanor rather than a felony .
His choice of Harris , who publicly bragged about using pot , may also have been a conciliatory gesture .
But his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most Democrats and have attracted criticism from groups like the Drug Policy Alliance and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws , which slammed him in the primary .
That oppositional stance is unlikely to abate as Biden moves from campaigning to governing .
Last week , NORML released a letter congratulating him on his election but demanding he appoint an attorney general who will refuse to enforce federal marijuana laws .
That was the stance taken by Obama attorney general Eric Holder but dropped under the Trump administration .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough confirmation battle if he or she promises to reinstate the Obama-era policy .
Perez , for her part , is more bullish about Harris , who is the primary sponsor of the Drug Policy Alliance 's proposal to legalize marijuana federally , and who Perez believes will shape the more recalcitrant Biden .
Harris 's past support `` does give me and other advocates some hope that she will be able to nudge him a bit on these issues , '' Perez said .
`` She has expressed that she has no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden . ''

The team slated to lead Joe Biden's transition at a top drug agency is devoid of representatives of progressive drug policy organizations, a departure from the president-elect's conciliatory stance on the campaign trail.
A six-man team will steer Biden's takeover of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which coordinates government anti-narcotic efforts under the aegis of the so-called drug czar. But none in the group come from the array of left-leaning organizations that push for drug decriminalization and legalization, and which have recently exercised influence over more progressive Democrats.
Instead, Biden's ONDCP transition group is heavy on Obama administration veterans, including a former Department of Homeland Security official responsible for narcotics enforcement and a senior ONDCP adviser who has supported decriminalization but drawn a line at the legalization of many drugs.
The absence of progressive drug policy advocates reflects Biden's relative conservatism on drug issues, a stance that puts him increasingly out of step with the organized left. Biden attempted to downplay this difference on the campaign trail, emphasizing his support for decriminalization, particularly to young voters, and selecting arch-reformer Kamala Harris as his running mate. His change of tone has drug-policy progressives worried and ready to push back from day one.
"You have an incoming administration that hasn't been very progressive on marijuana," Maritza Perez, national affairs director of the progressive Drug Policy Alliance, told the Washington Free Beacon. "Joe Biden has proposed rescheduling marijuana, which is insufficient. It doesn't address any of the issues that we've brought up. … So that gives us a lot of cause for concern."
Biden's ONDCP transition team will be led by Rahul Gupta, who served as the public health commissioner of West Virginia, one of the states most ravaged by the drug crisis. In that capacity, he oversaw the state's rollout of medical marijuana but steered away from recommending that users smoke the drug, recommending vaping instead.
This profile—neither an anti-drug hardliner nor a rabid advocate—is characteristic of the other team members. Jacob Rich, a policy analyst with the libertarian-leaning Reason Foundation, highlighted the Urban Institute's Kimberlyn Leary and Georgetown's Regina LaBelle as the other "major players."
Leary and LaBelle "seem like centrists who seek to reduce stigma and prosecution for drug addiction," Rich told the Free Beacon. "LaBelle worked with [Barack] Obama to implement his opioid interventions, so I assume we'll see further reductions in prescribing. I think this will lead to more deaths, but I'm in the minority."
Leary's public profile is largely silent on the issue of drugs, as her expertise is in public health governance more generally. LaBelle, formerly of the Obama ONDCP, has advocated for "prevention and treatment" over "criminalization" of drug use. But she was also, as Rich noted, involved in the Obama administration's push for opioid supply controls. And in a 2018 interview, she said she was "personally … not in favor of legalization of a number of drugs," comparing legal narcotics unfavorably with legal cigarettes and alcohol.
The Biden team also includes Kimberly O'Connor, who served throughout the Obama Department of Homeland Security, at points overseeing the department's counterdrug and counter-narcoterrorism efforts. She also served in the second Bush administration, during which she authored model legislation for state drug courts. Both achievements indicate a profile unfavorable to progressive views on drugs.
Two others round out the team. Mario Moreno served as spokesman for the Obama ONDCP, in which capacity he said that the government supported using both law enforcement and public health approaches to combat drug abuse, and "opposes drug legalization because it runs counter to a public health and safety approach to drug policy." And Dave Noble, currently with the Michigan ACLU, worked for NASA under Obama and is also serving on that transition team.
Perez told the Free Beacon that she was unfamiliar with any of the names on Biden's transition list but said that her organization is pushing for supporters of a "public health" approach to drug policy at agencies like ONDCP and the DEA. Biden has "a lot to prove," Perez said, noting his historical opposition to marijuana legalization and support for "tough on crime" policies.
That attitude carried forward to the 2020 Democratic primary, where Biden was one of only two major candidates to oppose marijuana legalization (the other was Michael Bloomberg).
While refusing to compromise on legalization, Biden made every gesture during the campaign of being sympathetic to drug reformers' agenda, advocating for decriminalizing the drug at the federal level and calling for its use to be prosecuted as a misdemeanor rather than a felony. His choice of Harris, who publicly bragged about using pot, may also have been a conciliatory gesture.
But his views put Biden to the right of most Democrats and have attracted criticism from groups like the Drug Policy Alliance and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, which slammed him in the primary.
That oppositional stance is unlikely to abate as Biden moves from campaigning to governing. Last week, NORML released a letter congratulating him on his election but demanding he appoint an attorney general who will refuse to enforce federal marijuana laws. That was the stance taken by Obama attorney general Eric Holder but dropped under the Trump administration. But a Biden attorney general might face a tough confirmation battle if he or she promises to reinstate the Obama-era policy.
Perez, for her part, is more bullish about Harris, who is the primary sponsor of the Drug Policy Alliance's proposal to legalize marijuana federally, and who Perez believes will shape the more recalcitrant Biden.
Harris's past support "does give me and other advocates some hope that she will be able to nudge him a bit on these issues," Perez said. "She has expressed that she has no reservations explaining her policy positions to president-elect Biden."


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Proposed Biden Gun Tax Could Top $34 Billion

American gun owners could face tens of billions of dollars in new taxes to keep the guns they already own under Democrat Joe Biden 's gun ban and tax plan .
At least 20 million rifles and 150 million ammunition magazines would be caught up in the sales ban and registration scheme Biden touted on the campaign trail , according to a National Shooting Sports Foundation ( NSSF ) report .
The new taxes would cost Americans more than $ 34 billion , according to a Washington Free Beacon analysis .
NSSF told the Washington Free Beacon the sheer number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant problem for Biden 's gun-control plans .
`` I think if [ Biden and his team ] were smart , they would look at those numbers and get an idea of where America stands on gun ownership and gun rights , '' NSSF spokesman Mark Oliva said .
Biden wants to ban new sales of AR-15 rifles and similar firearms as well as any ammunition magazine holding more than 10 rounds—sizes that come standard on most modern rifles and handguns .
He would pay some owners to surrender the affected guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to register the guns under the National Firearms Act .
The proposal would require owners to pay a $ 200 tax stamp for each item .
The report said the kinds of rifles Biden wants to ban made up nearly half of all rifles produced in 2018 .
Oliva said the group 's estimates may actually be undercounts .
While NSSF used the latest Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms , and Explosives manufacturer reports , those only cover up to 2018 , and Oliva said AR-15s have continued to grow in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's report comes out [ with ] an 18 to 24-month delay , '' Oliva said .
`` That number is probably significantly higher now . ''
Oliva pointed to record sales in 2020 as evidence that the amount of ARs and ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds has only increased in recent months .
He said the firearms Biden hopes to ban are popular because they offer modularity and customizability while being effective for hunting , sport shooting , and home defense .
The report , which was released Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made or imported into the United States in 2018 .
A further 9.3 million were made or imported in 2019 .
That brings the total number of firearms on the American market between 1991 and 2019 up to nearly 214 million .
Oliva said those numbers , combined with the fact that Americans increasingly favor AR-15s and other rifles targeted by Biden and gun-control advocates , are evidence the country is not interested in strict new gun laws .
`` America 's attitude on gun control is shifting more toward the idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from the idea we need government control of our destiny , '' he said .
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment .

American gun owners could face tens of billions of dollars in new taxes to keep the guns they already own under Democrat Joe Biden's gun ban and tax plan.
At least 20 million rifles and 150 million ammunition magazines would be caught up in the sales ban and registration scheme Biden touted on the campaign trail, according to a National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) report. The new taxes would cost Americans more than $34 billion, according to a Washington Free Beacon analysis.
NSSF told the Washington Free Beacon the sheer number of affected guns and magazines could pose a significant problem for Biden's gun-control plans.
"I think if [Biden and his team] were smart, they would look at those numbers and get an idea of where America stands on gun ownership and gun rights," NSSF spokesman Mark Oliva said.
Biden wants to ban new sales of AR-15 rifles and similar firearms as well as any ammunition magazine holding more than 10 rounds—sizes that come standard on most modern rifles and handguns. He would pay some owners to surrender the affected guns they legally own and force everyone else to register the guns under the National Firearms Act. The proposal would require owners to pay a $200 tax stamp for each item.
The report said the kinds of rifles Biden wants to ban made up nearly half of all rifles produced in 2018. Oliva said the group's estimates may actually be undercounts. While NSSF used the latest Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives manufacturer reports, those only cover up to 2018, and Oliva said AR-15s have continued to grow in popularity since then.
"That manufacturer's report comes out [with] an 18 to 24-month delay," Oliva said. "That number is probably significantly higher now."
Oliva pointed to record sales in 2020 as evidence that the amount of ARs and ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds has only increased in recent months. He said the firearms Biden hopes to ban are popular because they offer modularity and customizability while being effective for hunting, sport shooting, and home defense.
The report, which was released Monday, also found that 11.4 million firearms were made or imported into the United States in 2018. A further 9.3 million were made or imported in 2019. That brings the total number of firearms on the American market between 1991 and 2019 up to nearly 214 million.
Oliva said those numbers, combined with the fact that Americans increasingly favor AR-15s and other rifles targeted by Biden and gun-control advocates, are evidence the country is not interested in strict new gun laws.
"America's attitude on gun control is shifting more toward the idea that we need to protect our rights and away from the idea we need government control of our destiny," he said.
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment.


freebeacon--2020-11-19--Republican Takes Peter King’s Seat in Race Against Anti-Police Dem

New York assemblyman Andrew Garbarino ( R. ) picked up the seat of retiring Long Island Rep. Peter King ( R. , N.Y. ) in a decisive victory over a Democratic candidate who touted ties to anti-police groups .
Democrat Jackie Gordon called Garbarino Wednesday evening to concede the race over two weeks after Election Day .
Garbarino ultimately defeated Gordon with 56.9 percent of the vote to Gordon 's 42.2 percent .
The electoral returns indicate a significant polling error , as the Cook Political Report rated the race a tossup .
`` I am honored and excited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York 's 2nd Congressional District in Washington , '' Garbarino wrote in a statement .
`` In addition to supporting small businesses and fighting to lower taxes , I look forward to working with our brave law enforcement to keep communities safe , fighting to preserve our environment , supporting our veterans , and delivering real results for Long Island families . ''
Pro-police voters proved decisive in the race for New York 's second district , as Gordon courted activists calling to defund the police while giving local police unions the cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take up King 's post in 2021 , carrying on the legacy of one of the House 's most national-security focused members .
This phenomenon proved true across Long Island , according to Republican candidate George Santos , who lost to Rep. Tom Suozzi ( D. , N.Y. ) by an unexpectedly razor-thin margin this year .
`` There was a blue wave , but it 's not the blue wave Democrats counted on , '' Santos told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` It 's the back-the-blue wave , it 's the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wave that we 're seeing on Long Island .
The public will never vote against law enforcement , law and order , and public safety . ''
Other races seem to also enjoy the same `` back-the-blue '' wave Santos described .
In New York 's first district , also on Long Island , Republican incumbent Lee Zeldin enjoys a 20-plus point margin over Democratic challenger Nancy Goroff in a race that has not yet been officially called .
Goroff faced criticism on the campaign trail for calling cops `` dangerous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Republican congresswoman-elect Nicole Malliotakis in Washington next year .
Malliotakis bested incumbent Democrat Max Rose by a large margin in a race called last week .
Republicans lead in the vote count in three other New York House districts , though the races have not yet been called .

New York assemblyman Andrew Garbarino (R.) picked up the seat of retiring Long Island Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.) in a decisive victory over a Democratic candidate who touted ties to anti-police groups.
Democrat Jackie Gordon called Garbarino Wednesday evening to concede the race over two weeks after Election Day. Garbarino ultimately defeated Gordon with 56.9 percent of the vote to Gordon's 42.2 percent. The electoral returns indicate a significant polling error, as the Cook Political Report rated the race a tossup.
"I am honored and excited to succeed Congressman Peter King and represent New York's 2nd Congressional District in Washington," Garbarino wrote in a statement. "In addition to supporting small businesses and fighting to lower taxes, I look forward to working with our brave law enforcement to keep communities safe, fighting to preserve our environment, supporting our veterans, and delivering real results for Long Island families."
Pro-police voters proved decisive in the race for New York's second district, as Gordon courted activists calling to defund the police while giving local police unions the cold shoulder during the campaign.
Garbarino will take up King's post in 2021, carrying on the legacy of one of the House's most national-security focused members.
This phenomenon proved true across Long Island, according to Republican candidate George Santos, who lost to Rep. Tom Suozzi (D., N.Y.) by an unexpectedly razor-thin margin this year.
"There was a blue wave, but it's not the blue wave Democrats counted on," Santos told the Washington Free Beacon. "It's the back-the-blue wave, it's the law and order wave … that's the wave that we're seeing on Long Island. The public will never vote against law enforcement, law and order, and public safety."
Other races seem to also enjoy the same "back-the-blue" wave Santos described. In New York's first district, also on Long Island, Republican incumbent Lee Zeldin enjoys a 20-plus point margin over Democratic challenger Nancy Goroff in a race that has not yet been officially called. Goroff faced criticism on the campaign trail for calling cops "dangerous."
Garbarino will join fellow freshman New York Republican congresswoman-elect Nicole Malliotakis in Washington next year. Malliotakis bested incumbent Democrat Max Rose by a large margin in a race called last week.
Republicans lead in the vote count in three other New York House districts, though the races have not yet been called.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Election Losses Spark Conflict Among Florida Democrats

While congressional Democrats have downplayed party infighting , Democratic state lawmakers in Florida told Politico that significant Election Day losses have sparked divisions between the party 's moderates and progressives .
November 's election dealt a blow to Democrats in the Sunshine State , where Republicans flipped five seats in the state house and unseated Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell ( D. , Fla. ) and Donna Shalala ( D. , Fla. ) .
Democratic state lawmakers erupted over the results in a Nov. 4 phone call , Politico reported Wednesday .
State officials who joined the call noted several problems within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing chasm between centrist and leftist Democrats in the state .
Florida state senator Jason Pizzo ( D. ) , one of the lawmakers on the call , expressed frustration with Republican messaging , which targeted Latino voters in Florida by focusing on left-wing Democrats ' embrace of socialism .
`` I am not a f—ing socialist , '' Pizzo told Politico .
`` My life is a manifestation of the American Dream .
I believe in free markets . ''
Former Florida state representative Sean Shaw ( D. ) said `` everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We have turnout problems , messaging problems , coalitions problems , it 's up and down the board , '' Shaw , who also ran a failed campaign for state attorney general in 2018 , said .
`` It 's not one thing that went wrong .
Everything went wrong . ''
While leftist state lawmakers have called for `` systematic change , '' more moderate Democrats acknowledge Florida is a right-leaning state and said they must be `` smart '' if they want to win statewide offices in 2022 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fried , holds a statewide office .
In Washington , congressional Democrats pointed fingers at one another in another chaotic post-election phone call on Nov. 5 .
On the call , Virginia congresswoman Abigail Spanberger ( D. ) blamed leftist Democrats ' anti-police and socialist messaging for her near loss on Election Day .
The `` Squad , '' a quartet of progressive House Democrats , has led the party 's march to the left since taking office in 2019 .
But Democrats have largely dismissed the squabbles .
Rep. Ilhan Omar ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was just one `` big family '' in an interview addressing Democratic infighting on Sunday .
Earlier this week , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) said he did not know any Democratic candidates who backed left-wing efforts to defund the police .
And last week , Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) said she was not `` aware '' of any Democrats who campaigned on socialism .
Both Omar and Ocasio-Cortez have backed efforts to defund police departments this year .
Lenze Morris , national press secretary for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Free Beacon that socialist messaging led to Democrats ' demise this election despite record-breaking campaign spending .
`` National Democrats and radical groups … spent millions to elect Democrats who ran on socialist agendas , and it resulted in a colossal failure for Democrats up-and-down the ballot , '' Morris said .
`` It 's clear that socialism was a loser in this year 's elections , and Floridians sang that song the loudest . ''

While congressional Democrats have downplayed party infighting, Democratic state lawmakers in Florida told Politico that significant Election Day losses have sparked divisions between the party's moderates and progressives.
November's election dealt a blow to Democrats in the Sunshine State, where Republicans flipped five seats in the state house and unseated Reps. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D., Fla.) and Donna Shalala (D., Fla.). Democratic state lawmakers erupted over the results in a Nov. 4 phone call, Politico reported Wednesday. State officials who joined the call noted several problems within their party, including messaging—which highlights a growing chasm between centrist and leftist Democrats in the state.
Florida state senator Jason Pizzo (D.), one of the lawmakers on the call, expressed frustration with Republican messaging, which targeted Latino voters in Florida by focusing on left-wing Democrats' embrace of socialism.
"I am not a f—ing socialist," Pizzo told Politico. "My life is a manifestation of the American Dream. I believe in free markets."
Former Florida state representative Sean Shaw (D.) said "everything went wrong" for Democrats this election.
"We have turnout problems, messaging problems, coalitions problems, it's up and down the board," Shaw, who also ran a failed campaign for state attorney general in 2018, said. "It's not one thing that went wrong. Everything went wrong."
While leftist state lawmakers have called for "systematic change," more moderate Democrats acknowledge Florida is a right-leaning state and said they must be "smart" if they want to win statewide offices in 2022. Only one Democrat, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, holds a statewide office.
In Washington, congressional Democrats pointed fingers at one another in another chaotic post-election phone call on Nov. 5. On the call, Virginia congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D.) blamed leftist Democrats' anti-police and socialist messaging for her near loss on Election Day. The "Squad," a quartet of progressive House Democrats, has led the party's march to the left since taking office in 2019.
But Democrats have largely dismissed the squabbles. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) said the party was just one "big family" in an interview addressing Democratic infighting on Sunday. Earlier this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) said he did not know any Democratic candidates who backed left-wing efforts to defund the police. And last week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) said she was not "aware" of any Democrats who campaigned on socialism. Both Omar and Ocasio-Cortez have backed efforts to defund police departments this year.
Lenze Morris, national press secretary for the Republican State Leadership Committee, told the Washington Free Beacon that socialist messaging led to Democrats' demise this election despite record-breaking campaign spending.
"National Democrats and radical groups ... spent millions to elect Democrats who ran on socialist agendas, and it resulted in a colossal failure for Democrats up-and-down the ballot," Morris said. "It's clear that socialism was a loser in this year's elections, and Floridians sang that song the loudest."


freebeacon--2020-11-18--They Said It Would Take a ‘Miracle’ to Have a Vaccine By the End of 2020

Pfizer and Moderna have announced the production of vaccines that are more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ who said President Donald Trump would need a `` miracle '' to keep his promise @ @ @ @ @ a coronavirus vaccine by the end of 2020 .
David Rutz is senior writer at @ @ @ @ @ He was previously a sports reporter for two years in Atlanta and has done freelance @ @ @ @ @ Post .
He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2010 and lives in Marietta , Ga. @ @ @ @ @ DavidRutz .
He can be reached at rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Pfizer and Moderna have announced the production of vaccines that are more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19, countering media reports and experts who said President Donald Trump would need a "miracle" to keep his promise of the United States having a coronavirus vaccine by the end of 2020.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--CNN Reporter Who Conceived Child in Lighthouse Commits Sexist Assault on Female Senator

A reporter for CNN , a network that considers itself an icon of the professional journalism industry , lost his temper on Wednesday and committed a misogynist assault against an accomplished politician and business executive who happens to be female .
Bill Weir , a CNN climate reporter who conceived his child in a lighthouse , lashed out at Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R. , Ga. ) on Twitter , the popular social networking website .
In response to Loeffler 's recent comments about having `` lived the American dream … from the farm to the Fortune 500 '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom and opportunities I had , '' the CNN scribe deployed a shopworn sexist trope : reducing her entire life story and career accomplishments to the man she chose to marry .
`` Good news , Georgia ! ''
Weir tweeted .
`` If you live on a farm , you now qualify to marry the Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange ! ''
The offensive tweet has been up for more than two hours without an apology or clarification .
The sexist trope is routinely deployed against successful women , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose accomplishments as first lady were frequently overshadowed by her more successful husband .
Men , on the other hand , are rarely scorned for marrying successful women .
Just ask former senator John Kerry ( D. , Mass . )
, who won the Democratic nomination for president in 2004 despite being married to Big Ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz .
Feminist groups have tried to warn professional journalists like Weir about engaging in misogynist reporting .
Alas , many professional journalists have been unable to stop themselves from obsessing over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Kamala Harris .
Fortunately , when it comes to the vice president-elect , reporters have generally avoided stooping to Weir 's level by making snarky comments about how Harris got her start in politics .
Prior to his sexist outburst on social media , Weir was best known for publishing an open letter to his newborn son , River , in which he apologized on behalf of humanity for failing to prevent a climate apocalypse .

A reporter for CNN, a network that considers itself an icon of the professional journalism industry, lost his temper on Wednesday and committed a misogynist assault against an accomplished politician and business executive who happens to be female.
Bill Weir, a CNN climate reporter who conceived his child in a lighthouse, lashed out at Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R., Ga.) on Twitter, the popular social networking website.
In response to Loeffler's recent comments about having "lived the American dream ... from the farm to the Fortune 500" and wanting to give Georgians "the same freedom and opportunities I had," the CNN scribe deployed a shopworn sexist trope: reducing her entire life story and career accomplishments to the man she chose to marry.
"Good news, Georgia!" Weir tweeted. "If you live on a farm, you now qualify to marry the Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange!" The offensive tweet has been up for more than two hours without an apology or clarification.
The sexist trope is routinely deployed against successful women, such as former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, whose accomplishments as first lady were frequently overshadowed by her more successful husband.
Men, on the other hand, are rarely scorned for marrying successful women. Just ask former senator John Kerry (D., Mass.), who won the Democratic nomination for president in 2004 despite being married to Big Ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz.
Feminist groups have tried to warn professional journalists like Weir about engaging in misogynist reporting. Alas, many professional journalists have been unable to stop themselves from obsessing over the fashion choices of prominent female politicians such as Kamala Harris.
Fortunately, when it comes to the vice president-elect, reporters have generally avoided stooping to Weir's level by making snarky comments about how Harris got her start in politics.
Prior to his sexist outburst on social media, Weir was best known for publishing an open letter to his newborn son, River, in which he apologized on behalf of humanity for failing to prevent a climate apocalypse.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Soros, Bloomberg-Funded Group Pushes Six Figures Into Georgia Runoff

A group bankrolled by liberal billionaires George Soros and Michael Bloomberg is pouring $ 300,000 into Georgia to back Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the runoff elections .
The Black PAC , which works to push black voters to the polls , on Tuesday reported spending $ 300,000 on canvassing for the two Democratic candidates .
This is the first significant expense from an outside liberal group in the pivotal Georgia runoffs that will determine which party controls Congress 's upper chamber next year .
The elections are expected to garner tens of millions in outside spending from Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is heavily financed by left-wing billionaires , dark money , and the Chuck Schumer-tied Senate Majority PAC .
It received $ 1.5 million from the Democracy PAC , a super PAC created by Soros , and $ 6.32 million from Bloomberg .
The Sixteen Thirty Fund , which has been used as an avenue to push $ 55 million in secret cash into the 2020 elections , gave $ 2.25 million , while the Senate Majority PAC added $ 1 million .
Other liberal groups , such as America Votes , Unite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have added millions more .
The Black PAC 's latest filings show the group raised $ 23.5 million and spent $ 12.5 million as of mid-October .
It did not respond to a request for comment .
The Black PAC is just one of many groups bankrolled by wealthy liberal donors and Democratic Party interests expected to ramp up activity for the Jan. 5 elections .
Republican groups have already entered the state .
Far-left activists have also launched new groups to back the Democratic candidates .
Nabilah Islam , an unsuccessful congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D. , Minn. ) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) , will lead the newly created Save Our Senate PAC .
The super PAC is expected to drop millions backing Warnock and Ossoff .
Warnock , who is facing Republican senator Kelly Loeffler , has come under fire for his controversial associations and past comments .
He has praised anti-Semitic pastor Jeremiah Wright and said in a 2011 sermon that `` nobody can serve God and the military . ''
Warnock 's spiritual mentor , Dr. James Hal Cone , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white . ''
Ossoff , who in 2017 lost a congressional race after hauling in record sums , is facing off against Republican senator David Perdue .
Ossoff has never voted in a runoff election in the state and could not even vote for himself in his 2017 race because he did not live in the district he sought to represent .
Republicans currently hold a 50-48 advantage in the Senate following the 2020 elections .

A group bankrolled by liberal billionaires George Soros and Michael Bloomberg is pouring $300,000 into Georgia to back Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the runoff elections.
The Black PAC, which works to push black voters to the polls, on Tuesday reported spending $300,000 on canvassing for the two Democratic candidates. This is the first significant expense from an outside liberal group in the pivotal Georgia runoffs that will determine which party controls Congress's upper chamber next year. The elections are expected to garner tens of millions in outside spending from Democratic and Republican groups.
The Black PAC is heavily financed by left-wing billionaires, dark money, and the Chuck Schumer-tied Senate Majority PAC. It received $1.5 million from the Democracy PAC, a super PAC created by Soros, and $6.32 million from Bloomberg. The Sixteen Thirty Fund, which has been used as an avenue to push $55 million in secret cash into the 2020 elections, gave $2.25 million, while the Senate Majority PAC added $1 million. Other liberal groups, such as America Votes, Unite the Country, and various union PACs, have added millions more.
The Black PAC's latest filings show the group raised $23.5 million and spent $12.5 million as of mid-October. It did not respond to a request for comment.
The Black PAC is just one of many groups bankrolled by wealthy liberal donors and Democratic Party interests expected to ramp up activity for the Jan. 5 elections. Republican groups have already entered the state.
Far-left activists have also launched new groups to back the Democratic candidates. Nabilah Islam, an unsuccessful congressional candidate backed by Reps. Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.), will lead the newly created Save Our Senate PAC. The super PAC is expected to drop millions backing Warnock and Ossoff.
Warnock, who is facing Republican senator Kelly Loeffler, has come under fire for his controversial associations and past comments. He has praised anti-Semitic pastor Jeremiah Wright and said in a 2011 sermon that "nobody can serve God and the military." Warnock's spiritual mentor, Dr. James Hal Cone, has called for the "destruction of everything white."
Ossoff, who in 2017 lost a congressional race after hauling in record sums, is facing off against Republican senator David Perdue. Ossoff has never voted in a runoff election in the state and could not even vote for himself in his 2017 race because he did not live in the district he sought to represent.
Republicans currently hold a 50-48 advantage in the Senate following the 2020 elections.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Biden to Continue Obama Tradition of Packing White House with Corporate Lobbyists

A central component of Barack Obama 's 2008 presidential campaign was his pledge to rid the executive branch of corporate lobbyists .
Obama did n't exactly follow through on that pledge , and his White House was crawling with lobbyists from day one .
Not that it mattered .
The media were not very interested in following up .
They just took Obama 's word for it , and by 2012 they were writing stories about how lobbyists were poised to make a comeback if Mitt Romney became president .
With Joe Biden poised to take office in 2021 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama 's footsteps by hiring a bunch of corporate lobbyists in senior roles .
At least two former lobbyists who will assume top roles in the Biden administration previously served on Biden 's staff during the Obama administration .
Steve Ricchetti , who served as then-Vice President Biden 's chief of staff , will join the White House as counselor to the president .
Ricchetti founded his own lobbying firm in 2001 and worked on behalf of corporate clients such as AT & T , Eli Lily , and the American Bankers Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as then-Vice President Biden 's chief of staff , will take on the role of White House chief of staff in the Biden administration .
Klain is a veteran of the K Street lobbying firm O'Melveny & Myers .
His clients included U.S. Airways , AOL Time Warner , and ImClone , a pharmaceutical company whose CEO was convicted for fraud .
Klain also lobbied on behalf of mortgage giant Fannie Mae in an effort to fight off stricter oversight from Congress .
Rep. Cedric Richmond ( D. , La . )
will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior advisory role .
The move was blasted by environmental groups that pointed out Richmond 's close ties to Big Oil .
During his 10 years in Congress , for example , Richmond received more than $ 340,000 in donations from the oil and gas industry and frequently joined Republicans in voting against legislation opposed by the industry .
Biden 's campaign manager , Jen O'Malley Dillon , will join the incoming administration as a deputy chief of staff .
She is a cofounder of Precision Strategies , an `` integrated strategy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the American Investment Council , a lobbying group for private equity firms .
Old habits , as the saying goes , die hard .

A central component of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign was his pledge to rid the executive branch of corporate lobbyists. Obama didn't exactly follow through on that pledge, and his White House was crawling with lobbyists from day one.
Not that it mattered. The media were not very interested in following up. They just took Obama's word for it, and by 2012 they were writing stories about how lobbyists were poised to make a comeback if Mitt Romney became president.
With Joe Biden poised to take office in 2021, reports suggest he plans to follow in Obama's footsteps by hiring a bunch of corporate lobbyists in senior roles.
At least two former lobbyists who will assume top roles in the Biden administration previously served on Biden's staff during the Obama administration. Steve Ricchetti, who served as then-Vice President Biden's chief of staff, will join the White House as counselor to the president. Ricchetti founded his own lobbying firm in 2001 and worked on behalf of corporate clients such as AT&T, Eli Lilly, and the American Bankers Association.
Ron Klain, who also served as then-Vice President Biden's chief of staff, will take on the role of White House chief of staff in the Biden administration. Klain is a veteran of the K Street lobbying firm O'Melveny & Myers. His clients included U.S. Airways, AOL Time Warner, and ImClone, a pharmaceutical company whose CEO was convicted for fraud. Klain also lobbied on behalf of mortgage giant Fannie Mae in an effort to fight off stricter oversight from Congress.
Rep. Cedric Richmond (D., La.) will also join the Biden administration in a senior advisory role. The move was blasted by environmental groups that pointed out Richmond's close ties to Big Oil. During his 10 years in Congress, for example, Richmond received more than $340,000 in donations from the oil and gas industry and frequently joined Republicans in voting against legislation opposed by the industry.
Biden's campaign manager, Jen O'Malley Dillon, will join the incoming administration as a deputy chief of staff. She is a cofounder of Precision Strategies, an "integrated strategy and marketing agency" that was recently hired by the American Investment Council, a lobbying group for private equity firms.
Old habits, as the saying goes, die hard.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Trump Admin Ushers in First Bahraini Diplomatic Visit to Israel in History

JERUSALEM—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Jerusalem on Wednesday to usher in the first-ever official ministerial visit from Bahrain to Israel , an event that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would not have been possible without bold action by President Donald Trump .
Leaders from the United States , Israel , and Bahrain gathered to formalize the Abraham Accords , a landmark regional peace agreement brokered by the Trump administration with Bahrain , the United Arab Emirates , and Israel .
`` Frankly , this day would not have happened , these Abraham accords would not have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and leadership , '' Netanyahu said during a joint press conference with Pompeo and Bahraini foreign minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani .
No reporters were present at the press conference , and no questions were taken .
The visit comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration 's likely defeat in the 2020 presidential election .
Netanyahu will be losing a key U.S. ally as the administration of former vice president Joe Biden decides how it will handle diplomatic issues such as America 's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel 's capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to serve in his administration have publicly opposed that move .
They also are likely to reinstate U.S. aid dollars to the Palestinian Authority , which continues to pay salaries to terrorists and their families .
Pompeo , who opened his remarks by stating that he was happy to be speaking from Jerusalem , the `` rightful capital of the Jewish homeland , '' noted that Trump inked three historic peace deals in just over two months—something multiple Democratic administrations failed to do .
Pompeo also made sure to note that these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the UAE send a message to the Iranian regime about the shifting Middle East landscape .
As the Trump administration finishes its first term in office , Tehran will be a centerpiece of its agenda .
The State Department announced new sanctions on Iran just hours after Pompeo landed in Israel .
It has made clear its intent to continue down this path until vacating office on Jan. 20 .
`` These [ peace ] agreements also tell malign actors like the Islamic Republic of Iran that their influence in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more isolated in this [ and ] shall forever be until they change their direction , '' Pompeo said .
Pompeo also is expected to take a milestone trip to the West Bank and Golan Heights—the first for any U.S. secretary of state .
Observers view the trip as part of a larger effort by Pompeo to highlight the differences between the Trump administration 's diplomatic priorities and those of the incoming Biden administration .
American administrations have historically avoided taking a position on the status of disputed and annexed lands in Israel—most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanon and the West Bank surrounding Jerusalem .
The Trump administration took unprecedented action when it recognized Jerusalem as Israel 's capital city and moved the American embassy there .
It also has sided with Israel in its efforts to assert authority in the Golan Heights , a critical region for border security as Lebanon becomes increasingly controlled by the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah .

JERUSALEM—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Jerusalem on Wednesday to usher in the first-ever official ministerial visit from Bahrain to Israel, an event that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would not have been possible without bold action by President Donald Trump.
Leaders from the United States, Israel, and Bahrain gathered to formalize the Abraham Accords, a landmark regional peace agreement brokered by the Trump administration with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel.
"Frankly, this day would not have happened, these Abraham accords would not have been signed without President Trump's crucial support and leadership," Netanyahu said during a joint press conference with Pompeo and Bahraini foreign minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.
No reporters were present at the press conference, and no questions were taken. The visit comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration's likely defeat in the 2020 presidential election. Netanyahu will be losing a key U.S. ally as the administration of former vice president Joe Biden decides how it will handle diplomatic issues such as America's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital city. Biden allies and those most likely to serve in his administration have publicly opposed that move. They also are likely to reinstate U.S. aid dollars to the Palestinian Authority, which continues to pay salaries to terrorists and their families.
Pompeo, who opened his remarks by stating that he was happy to be speaking from Jerusalem, the "rightful capital of the Jewish homeland," noted that Trump inked three historic peace deals in just over two months—something multiple Democratic administrations failed to do.
Pompeo also made sure to note that these peace agreements between Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE send a message to the Iranian regime about the shifting Middle East landscape. As the Trump administration finishes its first term in office, Tehran will be a centerpiece of its agenda. The State Department announced new sanctions on Iran just hours after Pompeo landed in Israel. It has made clear its intent to continue down this path until vacating office on Jan. 20.
"These [peace] agreements also tell malign actors like the Islamic Republic of Iran that their influence in the region is waning and that they are ever more isolated in this [and] shall forever be until they change their direction," Pompeo said.
Pompeo also is expected to take a milestone trip to the West Bank and Golan Heights—the first for any U.S. secretary of state. Observers view the trip as part of a larger effort by Pompeo to highlight the differences between the Trump administration's diplomatic priorities and those of the incoming Biden administration. American administrations have historically avoided taking a position on the status of disputed and annexed lands in Israel—most notably the northern Golan Heights area bordering Lebanon and the West Bank surrounding Jerusalem.
The Trump administration took unprecedented action when it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital city and moved the American embassy there. It also has sided with Israel in its efforts to assert authority in the Golan Heights, a critical region for border security as Lebanon becomes increasingly controlled by the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Study: Religious Voters Object to Coronavirus Crackdown on Worship

A new study shows that voters are beginning to bristle at coronavirus restrictions that target religion .
A significant majority of religious voters say that houses of worship should at least get equal treatment in reopening from state and local governments as businesses , with just 22 percent saying that businesses should be prioritized , according to the Becket Fund 's 2020 Religious Freedom Index .
The same number of respondents , 22 percent , said religious services should be given top priority in reopening .
`` What we saw here was especially in reopenings , respondents want religious activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the government , '' Caleb Lyman , director of research and analytics at Becket , said .
`` As governments closed and reopened economies , we saw conflicts as houses of worship faced continued limitations while some places of business were allowed to reopen . ''
Respondents were also critical of the government 's hands-off approach to protests compared with the restrictions faced by religious institutions .
They were twice as likely to support outdoor religious services than they were to favor outdoor protests .
Thirty-five percent of respondents said that outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoor protests , and 48 percent said outdoor religious services should receive as much priority as outdoor protests .
Just 17 percent said outdoor protests should have higher priority .
The vast majority said that religious organizations should also take more of a leadership role in dealing with social unrest .
`` Data from the Index and additional questions show support for the idea that religion is part of an individual 's identity , not just a hobby or a weekend activity , and further , that to recognize this reality , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the study states .
Respondents indicated that religious services are vital to reopening the country because of the role religion has played in helping individuals through the pandemic .
More than 60 percent of respondents said their faith was important to them in getting through the past year under stay-at-home orders and social-distancing requirements .
Respondents older than 65 were also much more likely to say their faith was vital to dealing with the pandemic .
The results come as the country reckons with a new wave of coronavirus cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ strip clubs to reopen even as they crack down on religious services .
Religious leaders are beginning to fight back against lockdown orders that they say unfairly target worship .
A coalition of Jewish groups filed a legal complaint against New York governor Andrew Cuomo ( D. ) , accusing him of specifically targeting Orthodox communities .
The governor singled out Orthodox Jewish groups in a public statement regarding a coronavirus outbreak , prompting outcry and backlash .
California has also been the site of high-profile legal clashes between local churches and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dissident Catholic church have filed lawsuits challenging the state on its harsh treatment of religion even as it allows mass gatherings that celebrate sports championships and Black Lives Matter rallies .
Governor Gavin Newsom ( D. ) , meanwhile , has come under fire for attending a high-profile dinner party with a top lobbyist that appeared to violate the state 's coronavirus guidance .

A new study shows that voters are beginning to bristle at coronavirus restrictions that target religion.
A significant majority of religious voters say that houses of worship should at least get equal treatment in reopening from state and local governments as businesses, with just 22 percent saying that businesses should be prioritized, according to the Becket Fund's 2020 Religious Freedom Index. The same number of respondents, 22 percent, said religious services should be given top priority in reopening.
"What we saw here was especially in reopenings, respondents want religious activity to at least get a fair shake from the government," Caleb Lyman, director of research and analytics at Becket, said. "As governments closed and reopened economies, we saw conflicts as houses of worship faced continued limitations while some places of business were allowed to reopen."
Respondents were also critical of the government's hands-off approach to protests compared with the restrictions faced by religious institutions. They were twice as likely to support outdoor religious services than they were to favor outdoor protests. Thirty-five percent of respondents said that outdoor religious services should receive higher priority than outdoor protests, and 48 percent said outdoor religious services should receive as much priority as outdoor protests. Just 17 percent said outdoor protests should have higher priority. The vast majority said that religious organizations should also take more of a leadership role in dealing with social unrest.
"Data from the Index and additional questions show support for the idea that religion is part of an individual's identity, not just a hobby or a weekend activity, and further, that to recognize this reality, an individual's religion requires protections and accommodations," the study states.
Respondents indicated that religious services are vital to reopening the country because of the role religion has played in helping individuals through the pandemic. More than 60 percent of respondents said their faith was important to them in getting through the past year under stay-at-home orders and social-distancing requirements. Respondents older than 65 were also much more likely to say their faith was vital to dealing with the pandemic.
The results come as the country reckons with a new wave of coronavirus cases. Some states have allowed businesses such as strip clubs to reopen even as they crack down on religious services. Religious leaders are beginning to fight back against lockdown orders that they say unfairly target worship. A coalition of Jewish groups filed a legal complaint against New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D.), accusing him of specifically targeting Orthodox communities. The governor singled out Orthodox Jewish groups in a public statement regarding a coronavirus outbreak, prompting outcry and backlash.
California has also been the site of high-profile legal clashes between local churches and the state government. An evangelical church and a dissident Catholic church have filed lawsuits challenging the state on its harsh treatment of religion even as it allows mass gatherings that celebrate sports championships and Black Lives Matter rallies. Governor Gavin Newsom (D.), meanwhile, has come under fire for attending a high-profile dinner party with a top lobbyist that appeared to violate the state's coronavirus guidance.


freebeacon--2020-11-18--Free Beacon Journalist Shines in Jake Tapper Charity Auction

Washington Free Beacon journalist and resident firearms expert Stephen Gutowski raised almost $ 2,000 for the troops as part of the Fourth Annual Veterans Day Celebrity Auction , cohosted by CNN 's Jake Tapper .
With a winning bid of $ 1,825 , one lucky individual will receive a deluxe firearms training package ( for two ) that includes 6-8 hours ' worth of instruction and target practice under Gutowski 's seasoned tutelage .
The money raised will benefit Homes For Our Troops , a nonprofit organization that builds custom homes for severely injured military veterans .
In addition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part in the auction , including Jerry Seinfeld , George Clooney , Jon Stewart , and Gwyneth Paltrow .
Gutowski 's gun lessons were a hot item , obviously , generating more financial interest than the 30-minute Zoom calls offered by PBS journalist Judy Woodruff and Full House star Bob Saget .
Gutowski also managed to outraise celebrity actor Josh Gad , who contributed a personalized voice message as Olaf the snowman from Disney 's Frozen , and brought in almost as much money as Sean Penn ( $ 2,025 ) , Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monica Lewinsky , who donated a vintage reversible handbag that sold for $ 2,025 .
The auction was a stunning success , generating more than $ 400,000 for U.S. servicemen and women .
A Zoom cocktail hour with MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace raised more than $ 11,000 , while a coffee session with CNN 's Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow raised almost $ 2,300 .
A half-hour Zoom call with Trump-era comedian Sarah Cooper raised more than $ 10,000 .

Washington Free Beacon journalist and resident firearms expert Stephen Gutowski raised almost $2,000 for the troops as part of the Fourth Annual Veterans Day Celebrity Auction, cohosted by CNN's Jake Tapper.
With a winning bid of $1,825, one lucky individual will receive a deluxe firearms training package (for two) that includes 6-8 hours' worth of instruction and target practice under Gutowski's seasoned tutelage. The money raised will benefit Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit organization that builds custom homes for severely injured military veterans.
In addition to Gutowski, several other notable celebs took part in the auction, including Jerry Seinfeld, George Clooney, Jon Stewart, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Gutowski's gun lessons were a hot item, obviously, generating more financial interest than the 30-minute Zoom calls offered by PBS journalist Judy Woodruff and Full House star Bob Saget.
Gutowski also managed to outraise celebrity actor Josh Gad, who contributed a personalized voice message as Olaf the snowman from Disney's Frozen, and brought in almost as much money as Sean Penn ($2,025), Joe Scarborough ($2,050), and Monica Lewinsky, who donated a vintage reversible handbag that sold for $2,025.
The auction was a stunning success, generating more than $400,000 for U.S. servicemen and women. A Zoom cocktail hour with MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace raised more than $11,000, while a coffee session with CNN's Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow raised almost $2,300. A half-hour Zoom call with Trump-era comedian Sarah Cooper raised more than $10,000.