freebeacon--2020-02-06--Sara Gideon, Vocal Opponent of Lobbyists, Took Nearly $20,000 From Them Last Quarter

Maine Democrat Sara Gideon , who has built her Senate campaign on promises to root out lobbyists and fight for Mainers , collected nearly $ 20,000 in campaign contributions from out-of-state lobbyists in the final quarter of 2019 , filings show .
Gideon , Maine 's speaker of the house and the Democratic establishment 's preferred Senate candidate , hauled in $ 19,068 in contributions from 22 lobbyists during the fourth quarter of 2019 , a review of her most recent campaign filings shows .
The new donations come on the heels of the nearly $ 20,000 lobbyists donated earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her campaign around promises of good governance and tackling special interests in Washington .
The Senate hopeful 's acceptance of lobbyist donations could prove troublesome for her campaign and usher in calls of hypocrisy from her Democratic challengers and state Republicans .
Just two weeks after the close of books on the campaign 's fourth quarter fundraising , Gideon released her `` reform agenda , '' which declares that `` politicians are too responsive to their wealthy donors and corporate special interests , '' and includes a promise to reject gifts , meals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total , `` lobbyists '' and `` special interests '' are mentioned 17 times in the document .
Of the 22 lobbyists who gave to Gideon 's campaign over the last three months of 2019 , 19 reside in the Washington , D.C. , area .
Those donors included employees of the Forbes Tate Partners lobbying shop , the public policy and legislative affairs team at WilmerHale , and a former Podesta Group lobbyist who runs a firm with more than a dozen lobbying and public relations clients .
Gideon 's campaign did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the donations .
Also as part of her agenda , Gideon is now promising not to accept money from corporate PACs .
That promise did not stop Gideon ’ s leadership PAC , however , from taking in substantial contributions from corporations and corporate PACs in past cycles .
Sen. Susan Collins ( R. , Maine ) , whom Gideon would face in the general election , has criticized the state house speaker for accepting corporate contributions through Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer 's ( D. , N.Y. ) leadership PAC .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to two ethics complaints , one of which followed a Washington Free Beacon report detailing how Gideon repeatedly reimbursed herself for personal political contributions with PAC money , violating election law .
Maine 's ethics watchdog unanimously found that Gideon had violated state laws and levied a fine against the committee , which is no longer in operation .
The quiet influx of new cash to the campaign is not the first time Gideon has benefited from lobbyists .
Jay Nutting , who for three years acted as the treasurer of Gideon 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lobbyist who has worked for nearly 120 organizations .
Some of Nutting 's clients—including AT & T , Emera Energy , and Diego—previously donated thousands of dollars to the PAC .
Gideon is seen as the favorite to win the Democratic primary scheduled for June 2020 .
The Maine Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive in the country .

Maine Democrat Sara Gideon, who has built her Senate campaign on promises to root out lobbyists and fight for Mainers, collected nearly $20,000 in campaign contributions from out-of-state lobbyists in the final quarter of 2019, filings show.
Gideon, Maine's speaker of the house and the Democratic establishment's preferred Senate candidate, hauled in $19,068 in contributions from 22 lobbyists during the fourth quarter of 2019, a review of her most recent campaign filings shows. The new donations come on the heels of the nearly $20,000 lobbyists donated earlier in the cycle.
Gideon has shaped her campaign around promises of good governance and tackling special interests in Washington. The Senate hopeful's acceptance of lobbyist donations could prove troublesome for her campaign and usher in calls of hypocrisy from her Democratic challengers and state Republicans.
Just two weeks after the close of books on the campaign's fourth quarter fundraising, Gideon released her "reform agenda," which declares that "politicians are too responsive to their wealthy donors and corporate special interests," and includes a promise to reject gifts, meals, and trips from lobbyists. In total, "lobbyists" and "special interests" are mentioned 17 times in the document.
Of the 22 lobbyists who gave to Gideon's campaign over the last three months of 2019, 19 reside in the Washington, D.C., area. Those donors included employees of the Forbes Tate Partners lobbying shop, the public policy and legislative affairs team at WilmerHale, and a former Podesta Group lobbyist who runs a firm with more than a dozen lobbying and public relations clients.
Gideon's campaign did not return a request for comment on the donations.
Also as part of her agenda, Gideon is now promising not to accept money from corporate PACs. That promise did not stop Gideon’s leadership PAC, however, from taking in substantial contributions from corporations and corporate PACs in past cycles. Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine), whom Gideon would face in the general election, has criticized the state house speaker for accepting corporate contributions through Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D., N.Y.) leadership PAC.
The operations of Gideon's PAC have led to two ethics complaints, one of which followed a Washington Free Beacon report detailing how Gideon repeatedly reimbursed herself for personal political contributions with PAC money, violating election law. Maine's ethics watchdog unanimously found that Gideon had violated state laws and levied a fine against the committee, which is no longer in operation.
The quiet influx of new cash to the campaign is not the first time Gideon has benefited from lobbyists. Jay Nutting, who for three years acted as the treasurer of Gideon's state leadership PAC, is also a lobbyist who has worked for nearly 120 organizations. Some of Nutting's clients—including AT&T, Emera Energy, and Diego—previously donated thousands of dollars to the PAC.
Gideon is seen as the favorite to win the Democratic primary scheduled for June 2020. The Maine Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive in the country.


freebeacon--2020-02-06--NBC Reporter Calls Republicans at Trump Speech ‘Bobbleheads’

NBC News reporter Peter Alexander said Thursday that the Republican lawmakers who support President Donald Trump were reduced to being `` bobbleheads '' during his speech in the White House East Room .
`` What you probably did n't see but we could see from our position here is just what I would best describe as bobbleheads—the Republican supporters , the allies and aides to the president , who were nodding approvingly throughout the entirety of his remarks , '' Alexander told MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing .
Alexander said he was `` struck '' by how GOP lawmakers need support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Trump is willing to `` lavish praise '' on his allies , such as Rep. Devin Nunes ( R. , Calif. ) .
Alexander also passed judgment on the `` jovial atmosphere '' in the White House following Trump 's acquittal in the Senate , and he described how he shouted questions at Trump about whether he had learned `` lessons '' from the behavior that led to his impeachment in the House .
`` As he was exiting the room , in the back I yelled at him and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have you learned any lessons from this ? '
'' Alexander said .
`` He ignored that question , but as the best evidence of his answer was what he said earlier on in his remarks : He said , ‘ I did nothing wrong , ' again insisting that call—that again many Republicans say was inappropriate and wrong—he says still was perfect . ''
Alexander was referring to Republicans who expressed their disapproval of Trump 's actions without voting to remove him from office , such as Sen. Susan Collins ( @ @ @

NBC News reporter Peter Alexander said Thursday that the Republican lawmakers who support President Donald Trump were reduced to being "bobbleheads" during his speech in the White House East Room.
"What you probably didn't see but we could see from our position here is just what I would best describe as bobbleheads—the Republican supporters, the allies and aides to the president, who were nodding approvingly throughout the entirety of his remarks," Alexander told MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing.
Alexander said he was "struck" by how GOP lawmakers need support from Trump back in their home states, and Trump is willing to "lavish praise" on his allies, such as Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.). Alexander also passed judgment on the "jovial atmosphere" in the White House following Trump's acquittal in the Senate, and he described how he shouted questions at Trump about whether he had learned "lessons" from the behavior that led to his impeachment in the House.
"As he was exiting the room, in the back I yelled at him and said, 'are there any lessons learned, have you learned any lessons from this?'" Alexander said. "He ignored that question, but as the best evidence of his answer was what he said earlier on in his remarks: He said, 'I did nothing wrong,' again insisting that call—that again many Republicans say was inappropriate and wrong—he says still was perfect."
Alexander was referring to Republicans who expressed their disapproval of Trump's actions without voting to remove him from office, such as Sen. Susan Collins (Maine).


freebeacon--2020-02-06--Report: DHS Not Prepared to Secure 2020 Elections

Federal oversight authorities are warning that the Department of Homeland Security is not prepared to ensure the integrity and security of the 2020 presidential election amid mounting concerns that foreign actors such as Russia could again influence the American vote .
While DHS ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) has made strides in implementing election security plans in recent years , it `` is not well-positioned to execute a nationwide strategy for securing election infrastructure prior to the start of the 2020 election cycle , '' according to the Government Accountability Office , which investigates election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday identified several glaring omissions that could compromise the 2020 elections and cast doubt on the integrity of the process .
Federal oversight authorities have petitioned the security agency to `` urgently finalize [ its ] strategic plan and the supporting operations plan for securing election infrastructure for the upcoming election . ''
CISA has been tasked with ensuring the elections are not vulnerable to hackers and other state-backed actors .
While the agency has sought to address cyber issues and critical election infrastructure , it has failed to develop comprehensive plans that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The agency also dropped the ball on efforts to raise public awareness of foreign influence threats , according to the GAO report .
Reviews of CISA ’ s response to the 2018 election found the agency is not capable of responding to incidents in a timely fashion on the ground .
It also faces challenges in coordinating with other government agencies on election security issues .
The agency is `` not always providing actionable recommendations in DHS classified threat briefings or making unclassified versions of the briefings available , which may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communicate with information technology and other personnel in their agencies who did not have clearances , '' the GAO found .
Officials central to the election security process did not have access to `` social media websites from situational awareness rooms , which hindered their collection and analysis of threat information , '' according to the report .
CISA also does not have enough field staff to provide timely on-the-ground work during Election Day .
This `` could limit the agency 's timeliness in responding to an incident . ''
Further , current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response `` in the event of a compromise that exhausts state and local resources , which may limit knowledge about agency capabilities that are available , '' according to the report .
The GAO in its report asked CISA to ensure its plans `` fully address '' all potential election hazards and address how it is responding to challenges that were brought forth during the previous election cycle .

Federal oversight authorities are warning that the Department of Homeland Security is not prepared to ensure the integrity and security of the 2020 presidential election amid mounting concerns that foreign actors such as Russia could again influence the American vote.
While DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has made strides in implementing election security plans in recent years, it "is not well-positioned to execute a nationwide strategy for securing election infrastructure prior to the start of the 2020 election cycle," according to the Government Accountability Office, which investigates election security.
A new GAO report released Thursday identified several glaring omissions that could compromise the 2020 elections and cast doubt on the integrity of the process. Federal oversight authorities have petitioned the security agency to "urgently finalize [its] strategic plan and the supporting operations plan for securing election infrastructure for the upcoming election."
CISA has been tasked with ensuring the elections are not vulnerable to hackers and other state-backed actors.
While the agency has sought to address cyber issues and critical election infrastructure, it has failed to develop comprehensive plans that would provide security assistance to political campaigns. The agency also dropped the ball on efforts to raise public awareness of foreign influence threats, according to the GAO report.
Reviews of CISA’s response to the 2018 election found the agency is not capable of responding to incidents in a timely fashion on the ground. It also faces challenges in coordinating with other government agencies on election security issues.
The agency is "not always providing actionable recommendations in DHS classified threat briefings or making unclassified versions of the briefings available, which may have hindered election officials' ability to effectively communicate with information technology and other personnel in their agencies who did not have clearances," the GAO found.
Officials central to the election security process did not have access to "social media websites from situational awareness rooms, which hindered their collection and analysis of threat information," according to the report.
CISA also does not have enough field staff to provide timely on-the-ground work during Election Day. This "could limit the agency's timeliness in responding to an incident."
Further, current plans fail to outline a clear government response "in the event of a compromise that exhausts state and local resources, which may limit knowledge about agency capabilities that are available," according to the report.
The GAO in its report asked CISA to ensure its plans "fully address" all potential election hazards and address how it is responding to challenges that were brought forth during the previous election cycle.


freebeacon--2020-02-06--Brave New World: Anonymous Journo Bashes ‘No Backbone’ Republicans in NYT Op-Ed by Democratic Politi

Brave New World: Anonymous Journo Bashes ‘No Backbone’ Republicans in NYT Op-Ed by Democratic Politician

Journalists at the New York Times typically pepper their stories with anonymous quotes from Democrats bashing Republicans .
On Wednesday , the reverse happened .
The Times published an op-ed by a Democratic politician who quoted an anonymous journalist , also bashing Republicans .
Given the near-identical nature of the two professions , it was bound to happen sooner or later .
The Times piece , authored by Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D. , Ohio ) , was a broadside against the Republican senators who voted to acquit President Donald Trump of the impeachment charges filed by House Democrats .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cowards who , above all else , fear upsetting the commander in chief .
In an effort to make his case , Brown cites a `` journalist '' who allegedly asked him , `` how in the world can these [ Republican ] senators walk around here upright when they have no backbone ? ''
NYT editorial writer Binyamin Appelbaum remarked that the paper was `` inverting standard Washington practice '' by publishing an anonymous quote from a journalist in an article by a Democratic politician .
Again , a distinction without much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press corps 's general hostility toward Republicans .
On a related note , the Times ‘ s coverage of Trump 's acquittal in the Senate was slightly different from the paper 's coverage of former President Bill Clinton 's acquittal on impeachment charges in 1999 .
`` Split Senate Clears Trump on Each Count in Finale of a Bitter Impeachment Battle , '' read the Times ‘ s front-page headline of Thursday 's print edition .
Not surprisingly , the paper 's framing was more favorable when it came to Clinton 's acquittal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Acquitted Decisively : No Majority for Either Charge . ''

Journalists at the New York Times typically pepper their stories with anonymous quotes from Democrats bashing Republicans. On Wednesday, the reverse happened. The Times published an op-ed by a Democratic politician who quoted an anonymous journalist, also bashing Republicans. Given the near-identical nature of the two professions, it was bound to happen sooner or later.
The Times piece, authored by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio), was a broadside against the Republican senators who voted to acquit President Donald Trump of the impeachment charges filed by House Democrats. Brown accused his GOP colleagues of being cowards who, above all else, fear upsetting the commander in chief. In an effort to make his case, Brown cites a "journalist" who allegedly asked him, "how in the world can these [Republican] senators walk around here upright when they have no backbone?"
NYT editorial writer Binyamin Appelbaum remarked that the paper was "inverting standard Washington practice" by publishing an anonymous quote from a journalist in an article by a Democratic politician. Again, a distinction without much of a difference, given the Washington press corps's general hostility toward Republicans.
On a related note, the Times's coverage of Trump's acquittal in the Senate was slightly different from the paper's coverage of former President Bill Clinton's acquittal on impeachment charges in 1999.
"Split Senate Clears Trump on Each Count in Finale of a Bitter Impeachment Battle," read the Times's front-page headline of Thursday's print edition. Not surprisingly, the paper's framing was more favorable when it came to Clinton's acquittal, which garnered the headline "Clinton Acquitted Decisively: No Majority for Either Charge."


freebeacon--2020-02-06--Pelosi Tore Trump’s Speech to Get ‘Attention of the American People’

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) on Thursday expressed no regrets for tearing President Donald Trump 's State of the Union speech , saying she did it to get the `` attention of the American people . ''
`` It was necessary to get the attention of the American people to say this is not true and this is how it affects you , '' Pelosi said during her weekly press conference .
`` I do n't need any lessons from anybody , especially the president of the United States , about dignity . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ she stepped over her message to Democrats about being `` dignified '' by tearing up Trump 's speech .
She responded , `` No , I did not .
I tore up a manifesto of mistruths . ''
During his speech , Trump touted the strong economy , coordinated a reunion between Sgt .
1st Class Townsend Williams , who was returning from Afghanistan , and his family , and honored a Tuskegee Airman .
`` I think it was completely and entirely appropriate and considering some of the other exuberances within me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Pelosi concluded .
She was initially asked after the State of the Union about why she tore up the speech , prompting her to say , `` It was the courteous thing to do , considering the alternative . ''

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) on Thursday expressed no regrets for tearing President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech, saying she did it to get the "attention of the American people."
"It was necessary to get the attention of the American people to say this is not true and this is how it affects you," Pelosi said during her weekly press conference. "I don't need any lessons from anybody, especially the president of the United States, about dignity."
CNN's Manu Raju asked Pelosi whether she stepped over her message to Democrats about being "dignified" by tearing up Trump's speech. She responded, "No, I did not. I tore up a manifesto of mistruths."
During his speech, Trump touted the strong economy, coordinated a reunion between Sgt. 1st Class Townsend Williams, who was returning from Afghanistan, and his family, and honored a Tuskegee Airman.
"I think it was completely and entirely appropriate and considering some of the other exuberances within me, the courteous thing to do," Pelosi concluded.
She was initially asked after the State of the Union about why she tore up the speech, prompting her to say, "It was the courteous thing to do, considering the alternative."


freebeacon--2020-02-06--Shadow Inc. CEO’s ‘Plan Ahead’ Mantra Backfires During Iowa Debacle

The CEO of Shadow Inc. urged his Twitter followers to `` plan ahead '' even as his tech firm 's app derailed the Democratic Iowa caucus .
Gerard Niemira protected his Twitter account after Shadow 's Iowa caucus reporting app failed due to multiple glitches Monday , leaving the winner of the caucus unknown as of Thursday .
Despite these measures , social media users could still see the CEO 's banner image , a humorous cross-stitch pattern in which the phrase `` Plan Ahead '' fails to fit in a box it was intended for .
Niemira 's LinkedIn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account and uses the same profile picture , indicating the account is genuine .
While the image remained visible as Iowa party officials scrambled to tally votes on Tuesday , Niemira has since taken the Twitter banner down .
Tech experts who examined Shadow 's app told NBC News that it suffered from a flaw that kept results from being properly transmitted , as well as an unfriendly user design that led many caucus chairs to give up and report the results by phone .
`` The app appears rushed , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paying attention or on a deadline . ''
Niemira apologized personally for the app 's failure .
`` I 'm really disappointed that some of our technology created an issue that made the caucus difficult , '' he told Bloomberg in an interview .
`` We feel really terrible about that . ''
He continued to defend the product even as it melted down in front of a national audience .
`` The app was sound and good , '' he said .
`` It did the job it was supposed to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the field do the math correctly . ''
Before joining Shadow , Niemira was chief operating officer at ACRONYM , a Democratic dark money group that launched the tech firm in 2019 .
ACRONYM has since distanced itself from its own creation , purging its website of all references to having `` launched '' Shadow .
The firm now claims it merely `` invested '' in the app .

The CEO of Shadow Inc. urged his Twitter followers to "plan ahead" even as his tech firm's app derailed the Democratic Iowa caucus.
Gerard Niemira protected his Twitter account after Shadow's Iowa caucus reporting app failed due to multiple glitches Monday, leaving the winner of the caucus unknown as of Thursday. Despite these measures, social media users could still see the CEO's banner image, a humorous cross-stitch pattern in which the phrase "Plan Ahead" fails to fit in a box it was intended for.
Niemira's LinkedIn account links to the @gjniemira Twitter account and uses the same profile picture, indicating the account is genuine. While the image remained visible as Iowa party officials scrambled to tally votes on Tuesday, Niemira has since taken the Twitter banner down.
Tech experts who examined Shadow's app told NBC News that it suffered from a flaw that kept results from being properly transmitted, as well as an unfriendly user design that led many caucus chairs to give up and report the results by phone. "The app appears rushed," said one expert. "Someone was not paying attention or on a deadline."
Niemira apologized personally for the app's failure. "I'm really disappointed that some of our technology created an issue that made the caucus difficult," he told Bloomberg in an interview. "We feel really terrible about that."
He continued to defend the product even as it melted down in front of a national audience.
"The app was sound and good," he said. "It did the job it was supposed to do, which is help precinct chairs in the field do the math correctly."
Before joining Shadow, Niemira was chief operating officer at ACRONYM, a Democratic dark money group that launched the tech firm in 2019. ACRONYM has since distanced itself from its own creation, purging its website of all references to having "launched" Shadow. The firm now claims it merely "invested" in the app.


freebeacon--2020-02-06--Crime Is on the Rise in New York City

Crime Is on the Rise in New York City

Major crimes jumped in New York City in January , new data from the NYPD show , bucking the trend of decades of declining crime .
Compared with January 2019 , the Big Apple saw increases in robbery , assault , burglary , and larceny in the first month of 2020 .
The new statistics also confirm an increase in crime on the city 's subways , a longtime hot spot for violence that was thought to have cooled in the past two decades .
The new figures come as the city and state struggle with a controversial new bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of most nonviolent offenders before trial .
The uptick in crime will likely add fuel to the fire for opponents eager to see Albany modify the law or scrap it altogether .
In total , New York City in January saw a 16.9 percent increase in `` index crimes '' ( the offenses tracked nationally to measure the crime rate ) compared with January 2019 .
That figure includes an added 347 robberies , 116 assaults , 192 burglaries , 358 larcenies , and 243 car thefts .
The city did see six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incidents .
It also saw 25 fewer rapes , although the NYPD noted that rape `` continues to be underreported . ''
Statistics also show an added 60 transit crimes , translating into a 30 percent increase .
As the Washington Free Beacon previously reported , the city saw an uptick last year in subway harassment , robbery , and sex crimes on the MTA—an increase that mirrored a surge in transit crime in San Francisco .
The uptick does not necessarily represent a trend , and more data will be needed before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way crime in New York is headed .
But , as in San Francisco , overhauls of state criminal law likely play a role : In its announcement , the NYPD noted that it was working to `` [ adapt ] to the challenges of criminal justice reforms . ''
Rafael Mangual , a legal policy expert at the Manhattan Institute , cited the state 's new bail reform law as a leading culprit .
`` While it ’ s too soon to say exactly what is driving the crime increase , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost certain that the state ’ s new bail reform is driving some part of it , '' Mangual told the Free Beacon .
`` Both the sharpness of the uptick , and its timing , provide some hard-to-ignore circumstantial evidence of that being the case . ''
The state 's new law , which came into effect Jan. 1 , prohibits the use of cash bail for offenders arrested for misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies .
Instead , judges are obligated to release offenders pretrial on their own recognizance or with certain limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass for 90 percent of arrests , the left-leaning Vera Institute of Justice concluded , which is expected to lead to a 40 percent reduction in the state 's jail population .
Proponents of the law say that cash bail—which requires individuals to put up large sums of money , either from their own pocket or from a bail bondsman , in order to be released after arrest while awaiting trial—is antiquated and systematically biased against poor and black offenders .
But critics have stressed the unintended consequences of the bill 's leniency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ releases may have exacerbated the spate of anti-Semitic assaults that have rocked the city over the past two months .
`` Bail reform has allowed scores of criminals to await trial on the streets as opposed to in detention , '' Mangual said .
`` That is highly unlikely to improve the lives of those living in their neighborhoods . ''
Recent polling indicates a significant shift in public opinion on the law , the New York Post recently reported .
Forty-nine percent of New York state voters now call the law `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling it `` good . ''
That 's almost the opposite of what the Siena College survey found last April , when 55 percent of respondents were in favor , while 38 percent were against .
As even liberal governor Andrew Cuomo ( D. ) contemplates changes to the law , it is likely that the latest crime statistics will further turn public sentiment against it .

Major crimes jumped in New York City in January, new data from the NYPD show, bucking the trend of decades of declining crime.
Compared with January 2019, the Big Apple saw increases in robbery, assault, burglary, and larceny in the first month of 2020. The new statistics also confirm an increase in crime on the city's subways, a longtime hot spot for violence that was thought to have cooled in the past two decades.
The new figures come as the city and state struggle with a controversial new bail reform law, which mandates the release of most nonviolent offenders before trial. The uptick in crime will likely add fuel to the fire for opponents eager to see Albany modify the law or scrap it altogether.
In total, New York City in January saw a 16.9 percent increase in "index crimes" (the offenses tracked nationally to measure the crime rate) compared with January 2019. That figure includes an added 347 robberies, 116 assaults, 192 burglaries, 358 larcenies, and 243 car thefts. The city did see six fewer murders, but 15 more shooting incidents. It also saw 25 fewer rapes, although the NYPD noted that rape "continues to be underreported."
Statistics also show an added 60 transit crimes, translating into a 30 percent increase. As the Washington Free Beacon previously reported, the city saw an uptick last year in subway harassment, robbery, and sex crimes on the MTA—an increase that mirrored a surge in transit crime in San Francisco.
The uptick does not necessarily represent a trend, and more data will be needed before a conclusion can be reached about which way crime in New York is headed. But, as in San Francisco, overhauls of state criminal law likely play a role: In its announcement, the NYPD noted that it was working to "[adapt] to the challenges of criminal justice reforms."
Rafael Mangual, a legal policy expert at the Manhattan Institute, cited the state's new bail reform law as a leading culprit.
"While it’s too soon to say exactly what is driving the crime increase, or by how much, it’s almost certain that the state’s new bail reform is driving some part of it," Mangual told the Free Beacon. "Both the sharpness of the uptick, and its timing, provide some hard-to-ignore circumstantial evidence of that being the case."
The state's new law, which came into effect Jan. 1, prohibits the use of cash bail for offenders arrested for misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies. Instead, judges are obligated to release offenders pretrial on their own recognizance or with certain limited conditions. That translates into a free-to-go pass for 90 percent of arrests, the left-leaning Vera Institute of Justice concluded, which is expected to lead to a 40 percent reduction in the state's jail population.
Proponents of the law say that cash bail—which requires individuals to put up large sums of money, either from their own pocket or from a bail bondsman, in order to be released after arrest while awaiting trial—is antiquated and systematically biased against poor and black offenders. But critics have stressed the unintended consequences of the bill's leniency, for example, suggesting that pretrial releases may have exacerbated the spate of anti-Semitic assaults that have rocked the city over the past two months.
"Bail reform has allowed scores of criminals to await trial on the streets as opposed to in detention," Mangual said. "That is highly unlikely to improve the lives of those living in their neighborhoods."
Recent polling indicates a significant shift in public opinion on the law, the New York Post recently reported. Forty-nine percent of New York state voters now call the law "bad," compared with 37 percent calling it "good." That's almost the opposite of what the Siena College survey found last April, when 55 percent of respondents were in favor, while 38 percent were against. As even liberal governor Andrew Cuomo (D.) contemplates changes to the law, it is likely that the latest crime statistics will further turn public sentiment against it.


freebeacon--2020-02-06--Corporate-Funded DSCC Spends Thousands Attacking Tillis for Taking Corporate Money

The corporate-backed Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is attacking Sen. Thom Tillis ( R. , N.C. ) for being overly `` influenced by corporate PAC money . ''
In a new ad released Tuesday , DSCC-backed candidate Cal Cunningham attacks Tillis for allowing corporate PAC money to influence his vote to repeal Obamacare and its protections for people with preexisting conditions .
`` We know why it 's happening .
Politicians like Thom Tillis are more influenced by corporate PAC money than the people of North Carolina , '' Cunningham says in the ad , which also mentions the hold of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
The DSCC has accepted $ 3 million from corporate PACs during the 2020 cycle , including five-figure donations from drug and insurance companies .
They include $ 15,000 apiece from Pfizer , Merck , Sanofi , and AbbVie , as well as $ 10,000 from Blue Cross and $ 15,000 apiece from UnitedHealth , Cigna , and Humana .
The DSCC did not respond to a request for comment .
The DSCC is spending $ 89,000 on the Cunningham ad and another this week taking aim at Tillis 's Obamacare vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim last year that he would n't take money from `` special interests '' drew a `` Mostly False '' rating from PolitiFact .
While he has n't accepted corporate PAC money , he 's accepted donations from special interest groups like labor PACs , as well as PACs funded by corporations .
Tillis , who is seeking a second term , is one of the top Democratic targets in the 2020 cycle .
Cunningham , thanks in part to his heavy backing by national Democrats , is favored to win the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tillis opposed Obamacare but he and 17 Republican colleagues introduced legislation in 2019 to guarantee health insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions .
UPDATE : 11:30 A.M. : This article was updated to show Tillis introduced legislation last year to protect people with pre-existing conditions .

The corporate-backed Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is attacking Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) for being overly "influenced by corporate PAC money."
In a new ad released Tuesday, DSCC-backed candidate Cal Cunningham attacks Tillis for allowing corporate PAC money to influence his vote to repeal Obamacare and its protections for people with preexisting conditions.
"We know why it's happening. Politicians like Thom Tillis are more influenced by corporate PAC money than the people of North Carolina," Cunningham says in the ad, which also mentions the hold of "drug and insurance" lobbyists over Congress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY3gxgPPtYw
The DSCC has accepted $3 million from corporate PACs during the 2020 cycle, including five-figure donations from drug and insurance companies. They include $15,000 apiece from Pfizer, Merck, Sanofi, and AbbVie, as well as $10,000 from Blue Cross and $15,000 apiece from UnitedHealth, Cigna, and Humana.
The DSCC did not respond to a request for comment.
The DSCC is spending $89,000 on the Cunningham ad and another this week taking aim at Tillis's Obamacare vote, according to Politico.
Cunningham's claim last year that he wouldn't take money from "special interests" drew a "Mostly False" rating from PolitiFact. While he hasn't accepted corporate PAC money, he's accepted donations from special interest groups like labor PACs, as well as PACs funded by corporations.
Tillis, who is seeking a second term, is one of the top Democratic targets in the 2020 cycle. Cunningham, thanks in part to his heavy backing by national Democrats, is favored to win the state primary to challenge Tillis in November.
Tillis opposed Obamacare but he and 17 Republican colleagues introduced legislation in 2019 to guarantee health insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
UPDATE: 11:30 A.M.: This article was updated to show Tillis introduced legislation last year to protect people with pre-existing conditions.


freebeacon--2020-02-06--U.S. Steps Up Warnings on Russia Over Syria’s Idlib, Military De-Confliction

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) – The United States on Wednesday stepped up warnings to Russia over its Syria policy , saying Moscow was trying to challenge the U.S. presence in northeastern Syria by violating the terms of a de-confliction agreement and was also helping escalate the fighting in the northwestern province of Idlib .
James Jeffrey , U.S. special envoy for Syria engagement and fight against Islamic State , said the United States was `` very very worried '' about the Syrian government assault , backed by Russia , on Idlib , and he repeated calls on Moscow to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conflict .
It needs to be brought to an end .
Russia needs to change its policies , '' Jeffrey said .
The United States , France and the United Kingdom called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation in Idlib .
President Donald Trump softened his plans to pull out U.S. troops from Syria after backlash from Congress , and has kept around 600 troops , largely in northeastern Syria to continue the fight against Islamic State .
However , in northwestern Syria , the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and thus little leverage on Russia or the Syrian government in asserting its position .
The Idlib violence has accelerated in recent months despite several ceasefire efforts , including as recently as January .
On Wednesday , Syrian government forces entered Saraqeb in Idlib , a war monitor and eyewitnesses said , in a renewed push by President Bashar al-Assad to recapture the last rebel stronghold .
`` We 're seeing not just the Russians but Iranians and Hezbollah actively involved in supporting the Syrian offensive .
We do n't know whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M4-M5 road , or it may continue further , '' Jeffrey said , in reference to the strategic highways connecting Syria 's Aleppo to Hama and Latakia on the Mediterranean coast .
Jeffrey said Moscow could change its policies and meet the requirements of the international community without ousting Assad .
`` Those requirements are not unreasonable .
… They require a change in that ( Assad ) government 's behavior .
That government would not survive a week without the Russian assistance . ''
Northeastern Syria is a complicated battleground with forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia as well the Syrian government and aligned Iranian militia operating , sometimes in close proximity .
Moscow has been filling the vacuum of U.S. withdrawal from the area , ramping up its military presence in Syria 's northeast , and de-confliction agreements between the two sides ensure they avoid any clashes .
But Jeffrey on Wednesday said there have been more incidents of Russia 's violating the terms of de-confliction in what he characterized as an attempt to challenge the U.S. presence in there .
`` We 've seen a limited number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come deep into the area where we and the SDF are patrolling well inside the basic lines we have sketched .
Those are the ones that are worrying me , '' he said , referring to Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) that works with Washington in northeastern Syria .
He said while the numbers of such incidents were not very high , they were on the rise .
`` Thus is troubling , '' he said , and called on Moscow to adhere fully to the de-confliction agreements with the @ @ @

By Humeyra Pamuk
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday stepped up warnings to Russia over its Syria policy, saying Moscow was trying to challenge the U.S. presence in northeastern Syria by violating the terms of a de-confliction agreement and was also helping escalate the fighting in the northwestern province of Idlib.
James Jeffrey, U.S. special envoy for Syria engagement and fight against Islamic State, said the United States was "very very worried" about the Syrian government assault, backed by Russia, on Idlib, and he repeated calls on Moscow to stop it.
"This is a dangerous conflict. It needs to be brought to an end. Russia needs to change its policies," Jeffrey said.
The United States, France and the United Kingdom called for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation in Idlib.
President Donald Trump softened his plans to pull out U.S. troops from Syria after backlash from Congress, and has kept around 600 troops, largely in northeastern Syria to continue the fight against Islamic State.
However, in northwestern Syria, the United States has no troops on the ground and thus little leverage on Russia or the Syrian government in asserting its position.
The Idlib violence has accelerated in recent months despite several ceasefire efforts, including as recently as January.
On Wednesday, Syrian government forces entered Saraqeb in Idlib, a war monitor and eyewitnesses said, in a renewed push by President Bashar al-Assad to recapture the last rebel stronghold.
"We're seeing not just the Russians but Iranians and Hezbollah actively involved in supporting the Syrian offensive. We don't know whether the offensive is just to get to the M4-M5 road, or it may continue further," Jeffrey said, in reference to the strategic highways connecting Syria's Aleppo to Hama and Latakia on the Mediterranean coast.
Jeffrey said Moscow could change its policies and meet the requirements of the international community without ousting Assad. "Those requirements are not unreasonable. ... They require a change in that (Assad) government's behavior. That government would not survive a week without the Russian assistance."
RUSSIA VIOLATING DE-CONFLICTION
Northeastern Syria is a complicated battleground with forces of the United States, Turkey and Russia as well the Syrian government and aligned Iranian militia operating, sometimes in close proximity.
Moscow has been filling the vacuum of U.S. withdrawal from the area, ramping up its military presence in Syria's northeast, and de-confliction agreements between the two sides ensure they avoid any clashes.
But Jeffrey on Wednesday said there have been more incidents of Russia's violating the terms of de-confliction in what he characterized as an attempt to challenge the U.S. presence in there.
"We've seen a limited number of occasions where ... they've tried to come deep into the area where we and the SDF are patrolling well inside the basic lines we have sketched. Those are the ones that are worrying me," he said, referring to Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that works with Washington in northeastern Syria.
He said while the numbers of such incidents were not very high, they were on the rise. "Thus is troubling," he said, and called on Moscow to adhere fully to the de-confliction agreements with the United States.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)


Beacon Extra

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THEY GIVE UP … `` Associated Press unable to declare winner of Iowa caucuses , '' via AP : With 97 % of precincts reporting from Monday ’ s caucuses , former South Bend , Indiana , mayor Pete Buttigieg leads Vermont senator Bernie Sanders by three state delegate equivalents out of 2,098 counted .
That is a margin of 0.14 percentage points .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party ’ s effort to complete its tabulation of the caucus results continues , Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez on Thursday asked the Iowa Democratic Party to conduct a recanvass .
OFF THE RESERVATION … `` Women of color bolt Warren ’ s Nevada campaign in frustration , '' via POLITICO : Three of them said they felt marginalized by the campaign , a situation they said didn ’ t change or worsened after they took their concerns to their superiors or to human resources staff … '' During the time I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Warren , there was definitely something wrong with the culture , '' said Megan Lewis , who joined the campaign in May and departed in December .
`` I filed a complaint with HR , but the follow-up I received left me feeling as though I needed to make myself smaller or change who I was to fit into the office culture . ''
THE MATH DIDN ’ T ADD UP … `` Yang fires dozens of staffers after Iowa debacle , '' via POLITICO : Among those dismissed were the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as the deputy national political director—all senior-level positions … Former campaign employees who were granted anonymity to speak candidly said many people expected staffing changes after New Hampshire , not Iowa .
They were disturbed by how some people learned they were let go , such as when their email and Slack accounts were cut off .
GET A FOOD TASTER … `` Hillary Clinton on being vice president : ‘ Never say never ’ , '' via NY POST : Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres asked whether she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the of the eventual Democratic nominee , if she were asked … Pushed on the question , Clinton , 72 , reluctantly said she ’ d consider it .
`` I never say never because I believe in serving my country , but it ’ s never going to happen , '' she said .
SWALWELL LETS IT RIP … `` Swalwell to release book giving ‘ inside account ' of Trump 's impeachment , '' via THE HILL : `` It ’ s my inside account of America ’ s public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rein in a president who put his own interests over national security and our elections ’ integrity , '' [ Rep. Eric ] Swalwell , a former 2020 White House hopeful , said in a statement .
PROBABLY SOON TO BE FORMER CEO … `` Shadow Inc. CEO ’ s ‘ Plan Ahead ’ Mantra Backfires During Iowa Debacle , '' by WFB ’ s Alex Griswold : The CEO of Shadow Inc. urged his Twitter followers to `` plan ahead '' even as his tech firm 's app derailed the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter account after Shadow 's Iowa caucus reporting app failed due to multiple glitches Monday … Despite these measures , social media users could still see the CEO 's banner image , a humorous cross-stitch pattern in which the phrase `` Plan Ahead '' fails to fit in a box it was intended for .
THE 1980s CALLED … `` Senate Report Criticizes Response to Russian Meddling and Blames Partisanship , '' via NYT : `` [ Barack ] Obama warned [ Vladimir ] Putin in a note that `` the kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerfully impactful to their economy and far exceed anything that he had seen to date , '' the report said , citing an interview with Susan E. Rice , Mr. Obama ’ s national security adviser at the time .
But those warnings fell short , said Marc Polymeropoulos , a CIA official who retired last year .
He said that it had become clear that officials should have undertaken a more effective public campaign .
COMFORTING … `` Report : DHS Not Prepared to Secure 2020 Elections , '' by WFB ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) has made strides in implementing election security plans in recent years , it `` is not well-positioned to execute a nationwide strategy for securing election infrastructure prior to the start of the 2020 election cycle , '' according to the Government Accountability Office , which investigates election security .
CHICOMS HIJACK FOURTH ESTATE … `` Lawmakers Demand Investigation Into Chinese Propaganda Published in NYT , WaPo , '' by WFB ’ s Yuichiro Kakutani : Lawmakers are calling on the Justice Department to launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily after the Washington Free Beacon found that the propaganda outlet ignored federal law .
China Daily has spent millions to publish state-sanctioned propaganda in top American newspapers without registering as a foreign agent , prompting Rep. Jim Banks ( R. , Ind . )
, Sen. Tom Cotton ( R. , Ark . )
, and 33 other members of Congress to demand a probe into the outlet 's activities .
BOLD STRATEGY … `` Brave New World : Anonymous Journo Bashes ‘ No Backbone ’ Republicans in NYT Op-Ed by Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrew Stiles : In an effort to make his case , [ Sen. Sherrod ] Brown cites a `` journalist '' who allegedly asked him , `` how in the world can these [ Republican ] senators walk around here upright when they have no backbone '' … NYT editorial writer Binyamin Appelbaum remarked that the paper was `` inverting standard Washington practice '' by publishing an anonymous quote from a journalist in an article by a Democratic politician .
Again , a distinction without much of a difference , given the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
FAT KIDS ALSO BULLIED … `` California may stop school fitness tests over fears they lead to bullying and body-shaming , '' via CNN : California governor Gavin Newsom has proposed suspending the physical fitness tests at the state 's schools over concerns that they promote bullying and body discrimination .
Under current state requirements , students in grades five , seven , and nine are required to take a physical fitness test , which includes the one-mile run , curl-ups , push-ups , and a measure of body mass index .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Limbaugh , '' by WFB ’ s Matthew Continetti : [ Rush Limbaugh ’ s ] shocking announcement this week that he has advanced lung cancer , and his appearance at the State of the Union , where President Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom , are occasions to reflect on his impact .
It 's one thing to excel in your field .
It 's another to create the field in which you excel … [ Trump ’ s ] presidency is another reminder of Limbaugh 's staying power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his anti-elitist , grassroots , demotic , irreverent , patriotic , hard-charging image .
Rush Limbaugh is not just a talk show host .
He defines an era .
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 1,153 .
Come back , Joe !
`` You know who really doesn ’ t have it ?
Joe Biden . ''
—Former President Barack Obama Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

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


freebeacon--2020-02-07--The Era of Limbaugh

The Era of Limbaugh

Florida governor Ron DeSantis spoke to Rush Limbaugh last fall at a gala dinner for the National Review Institute .
The radio host was there to receive the William F. Buckley Jr. award .
`` He actually gave me one of the greatest compliments I 've ever had , '' Limbaugh told his audience the next day .
`` He listed five great conservatives and put me in the list . ''
DeSantis 's pantheon : William F. Buckley Jr. , Ronald Reagan , Antonin Scalia , Clarence Thomas , and Limbaugh .
Good list .
No media figure since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on American conservatism than Limbaugh , whose cumulative weekly audience is more than 20 million people .
Since national syndication in 1988 , Limbaugh has been the voice of conservatism , his three-hour program blending news , politics , and entertainment in a powerful and polarizing cocktail .
His shocking announcement this week that he has advanced lung cancer , and his appearance at the State of the Union , where President Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom , are occasions to reflect on his impact .
It 's one thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's another to create the field in which you excel .
Conservative talk radio was local and niche before Limbaugh .
He was the first to capitalize on regulatory and technological changes that allowed for national scale .
The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 freed affiliates to air controversial political opinions without inviting government scrutiny .
As music programming migrated to the FM spectrum , AM bandwidth welcomed talk .
Listener participation was also critical .
`` It was not until 1982 , '' writes Nicole Hemmer in Messengers of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced the modern direct-dial toll-free calling system that national call-in shows use . ''
Limbaugh made the most of these opportunities .
And he contributed stylistic innovations of his own .
He treated politics not only as a competition of ideas but also as a contest between liberal elites and the American public .
He also added the irreverent and sometimes scandalous humor and cultural commentary of the great DJs .
He introduced catchphrases still in circulation : `` dittohead , '' `` Drive-By media , '' `` feminazi , '' `` talent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ template he created has been so successful that the list of his imitators on both the left and right is endless .
Even Al Franken wanted in on the act .
Dostoyevsky is attributed with the saying that the great Russian writers `` all came out of Gogol 's ‘ Overcoat . '
'' Political talk show hosts came out of Limbaugh 's microphone .
Limbaugh 's success prefigured more than the rise of conservative radio .
His two bestsellers , The Way Things Ought to Be ( 1992 ) and See , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were the leading edge of the conservative publishing boom .
And his television program , The Rush Limbaugh Show , produced in collaboration with Roger Ailes , was a forerunner of the opinion programming on Fox News Channel .
`` I had to learn how to take being hated as a measure of success , '' he told a Boy Scouts awards dinner in 2009 .
`` Nobody 's raised for that .
And the person that taught me to deal with this and to remain psychologically healthy was Roger Ailes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ views fit in the conservative mainstream .
He idolizes Buckley .
`` He was a fundamental individual in helping me to be able to explain what I believed instinctively , helping me to explain it to others , '' Limbaugh said last year .
The ideas are the same but the salesman is different .
Limbaugh is Buckley without the accent , without the Yale credentials , without the sailboat and harpsichord .
Limbaugh is a college dropout from Cape Girardeau , Missouri , who spends Sundays watching the NFL and speaks in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the audience—and to the increasingly working-class Republican voter .
Limbaugh entered stage right just as Ronald Reagan was making his exit .
He took from Reagan the sense that America 's future is bright , that America is n't broken , just its liberal political , media , and cultural elites .
`` He rejected Washington elitism and connected directly with the American people who adored him , '' Limbaugh said after Reagan 's death .
`` He did n't need the press .
He did n't need the press to spin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He had the ability to connect individually with each American who saw him . ''
The two men never met .
Limbaugh assumed Reagan 's position as leader of the conservative movement .
In a letter sent to Limbaugh after the 1992 election , Reagan wrote , `` Now that I 've retired from active politics , I do n't mind that you have become the Number One voice for conservatism in our Country .
I know the liberals call you the most dangerous man in America , but do n't worry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same thing about me .
Keep up the good work .
America needs to hear ‘ the way things ought to be . '
'' In a long and evenhanded cover story in 1993 by James Bowman , National Review pronounced Limbaugh `` the leader of the opposition . ''
Bowman quoted R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. , editor of The American Spectator .
`` We need to have people who can dramatize ideas , '' Tyrrell said .
`` You need that literary spark .
Luigi Barzini had it ; Buckley has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great talker rather than a great writer , Rush has it too . ''
More than a decade later , after the Republican defeat in 2008 , Limbaugh once again stepped into the breach .
The media likened Barack Obama to FDR .
Republicans wavered .
Should they cooperate with President Obama in building a `` New Foundation '' for America ?
Limbaugh gave his answer on January 16 , 2009 .
`` I 've been listening to Barack Obama for a year and a half , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know what his plans are , as he has stated them .
I do n't want them to succeed . ''
Limbaugh said he hoped Obama failed .
`` Liberalism is our problem .
Liberalism is what 's gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here .
Why do I want more of it ? ''
The monologue , and the speech he delivered to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington , D.C. , a month later , became a sensation .
They set the tone for the Tea Party and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Limbaugh did not mock Trump when the businessman announced his presidential campaign in June 2015 .
`` This is going resonate with a lot of people , I guarantee you , and the Drive-Bys are going to pooh-pooh it , '' he said .
He spent the primary reminding listeners of the importance of defeating Hillary Clinton .
Trump was not an ideological candidate , he said .
Trump was a missile aimed at the establishment .
If ideology matters , then you should vote for Ted Cruz .
`` If conservatism is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dominating factor in how you vote , '' Limbaugh said in February 2016 , `` there is no other choice for you in this campaign than Ted Cruz , because you are exactly right : This is the closest in our lifetimes we have ever been to Ronald Reagan . ''
But , Limbaugh added , the feeling in the country might be so anti-establishment that Trump 's unusual coalition could win the presidency .
It did .
To say that Limbaugh supports the president would be an understatement .
Last December he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USA summit .
He mentioned a recent encounter on a golf course .
Someone told him it is hard to defend President Trump .
`` I said , ‘ What ?
Hard to defend the president ?
It 's one of the easiest things in the world to do . '
President Trump does not need to be defended . ''
The crowd cheered .
A few seconds later Limbaugh said , `` How do you defend Donald Trump ?
You attack the people who are attempting to destroy him .
They 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to transform this country into something that it was not founded to be . ''
Bold , brash , divisive , funny , and amped up , President Trump 's style is similar to a shock jockey 's .
His presidency is another reminder of Limbaugh 's staying power .
The American right has been molded in his anti-elitist , grassroots , demotic , irreverent , patriotic , hard-charging image .
Rush Limbaugh is not just a talk show host .
He defines an era .

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on Feb. 7, 2020. The Washington Free Beacon is reposting on the occasion of Rush Limbaugh's death Feb. 17, 2021.
_
Florida governor Ron DeSantis spoke to Rush Limbaugh last fall at a gala dinner for the National Review Institute. The radio host was there to receive the William F. Buckley Jr. award. "He actually gave me one of the greatest compliments I've ever had," Limbaugh told his audience the next day. "He listed five great conservatives and put me in the list." DeSantis's pantheon: William F. Buckley Jr., Ronald Reagan, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Limbaugh.
Good list. No media figure since Buckley has had a more lasting influence on American conservatism than Limbaugh, whose cumulative weekly audience is more than 20 million people. Since national syndication in 1988, Limbaugh has been the voice of conservatism, his three-hour program blending news, politics, and entertainment in a powerful and polarizing cocktail. His shocking announcement this week that he has advanced lung cancer, and his appearance at the State of the Union, where President Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, are occasions to reflect on his impact.
It's one thing to excel in your field. It's another to create the field in which you excel. Conservative talk radio was local and niche before Limbaugh. He was the first to capitalize on regulatory and technological changes that allowed for national scale. The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 freed affiliates to air controversial political opinions without inviting government scrutiny. As music programming migrated to the FM spectrum, AM bandwidth welcomed talk. Listener participation was also critical. "It was not until 1982," writes Nicole Hemmer in Messengers of the Right, "that AT&T introduced the modern direct-dial toll-free calling system that national call-in shows use."
Limbaugh made the most of these opportunities. And he contributed stylistic innovations of his own. He treated politics not only as a competition of ideas but also as a contest between liberal elites and the American public. He added the irreverent and sometimes scandalous humor and cultural commentary of the great DJs. He introduced catchphrases still in circulation: "dittohead," "Drive-By media," "feminazi," "talent on loan from God."
The template he created has been so successful that the list of his imitators on both the left and right is endless. Even Al Franken wanted in on the act. Dostoyevsky is attributed with the saying that the great Russian writers "all came out of Gogol's 'Overcoat.'" Political talk show hosts came out of Limbaugh's microphone.
Limbaugh's success prefigured more than the rise of conservative radio. His two bestsellers, The Way Things Ought to Be (1992) and See, I Told You So (1993), were the leading edge of the conservative publishing boom. And his television program, The Rush Limbaugh Show, produced in collaboration with Roger Ailes, was a forerunner of the opinion programming on Fox News Channel. "I had to learn how to take being hated as a measure of success," he told a Boy Scouts awards dinner in 2009. "Nobody's raised for that. And the person that taught me to deal with this and to remain psychologically healthy was Roger Ailes."
Limbaugh is not fringe. His views fit in the conservative mainstream. He idolizes Buckley. "He was a fundamental individual in helping me to be able to explain what I believed instinctively, helping me to explain it to others," Limbaugh said last year. The ideas are the same but the salesman is different. Limbaugh is Buckley without the accent, without the Yale credentials, without the sailboat and harpsichord. Limbaugh is a college dropout from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, who spends Sundays watching the NFL and speaks in plain language. His background connects him to the audience—and to the increasingly working-class Republican voter.
Limbaugh entered stage right just as Ronald Reagan made his exit. He took from Reagan the sense that America's future is bright, that America isn't broken, just its liberal political, media, and cultural elites. "He rejected Washington elitism and connected directly with the American people who adored him," Limbaugh said after Reagan's death. "He didn't need the press. He didn't need the press to spin what he was or what he said. He had the ability to connect individually with each American who saw him." The two men never met.
Limbaugh assumed Reagan's position as leader of the conservative movement. In a letter sent to Limbaugh after the 1992 election, Reagan wrote, "Now that I've retired from active politics, I don't mind that you have become the Number One voice for conservatism in our Country. I know the liberals call you the most dangerous man in America, but don't worry about it, they used to say the same thing about me. Keep up the good work. America needs to hear 'the way things ought to be.'"
In a long and evenhanded cover story in 1993 by James Bowman, National Review pronounced Limbaugh "the leader of the opposition." Bowman quoted R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., editor of The American Spectator. "We need to have people who can dramatize ideas," Tyrrell said. "You need that literary spark. Luigi Barzini had it; Buckley has it. And, though he's a great talker rather than a great writer, Rush has it too."
More than a decade later, after the Republican defeat in 2008, Limbaugh once again stepped into the breach. The media likened Barack Obama to FDR. Republicans wavered. Should they cooperate with President Obama in building a "New Foundation" for America? Limbaugh gave his answer on January 16, 2009. "I've been listening to Barack Obama for a year and a half," he said. "I know what his politics are. I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don't want them to succeed." Limbaugh said he hoped Obama failed. "Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what's gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here. Why do I want more of it?" The monologue, and the speech he delivered to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., a month later, became a sensation. They set the tone for the Tea Party and Republican victories in 2010 and 2014.
Limbaugh did not mock Trump when the businessman announced his presidential campaign in June 2015. "This is going to resonate with a lot of people, I guarantee you, and the Drive-Bys are going to pooh-pooh it," he said. He spent the primary reminding listeners of the importance of defeating Hillary Clinton. Trump was not an ideological candidate, he said. Trump was a missile aimed at the establishment. If ideology matters, then you should vote for Ted Cruz. "If conservatism is your bag, if conservatism is the dominating factor in how you vote," Limbaugh said in February 2016, "there is no other choice for you in this campaign than Ted Cruz, because you are exactly right: This is the closest in our lifetimes we have ever been to Ronald Reagan." But, Limbaugh added, the feeling in the country might be so anti-establishment that Trump's unusual coalition could win the presidency. It did.
To say that Limbaugh supports the president would be an understatement. Last December he introduced the president at a Turning Point USA summit. He mentioned a recent encounter on a golf course. Someone told him it is hard to defend President Trump. "I said, 'What? Hard to defend the president? It's one of the easiest things in the world to do.' President Trump does not need to be defended." The crowd cheered. A few seconds later Limbaugh said, "How do you defend Donald Trump? You attack the people who are attempting to destroy him. They're trying to destroy you. They're trying to transform this country into something that it was not founded to be."
Bold, brash, divisive, funny, and amped up, President Trump's style is similar to a shock jockey's. His presidency is another reminder of Limbaugh's staying power. The American right has been molded in his anti-elitist, grassroots, demotic, irreverent, patriotic, hard-charging image. Rush Limbaugh is not just a broadcaster. He defines an era.


Beacon Extra 2/6/20

Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon ’ s morning newsletter , your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom .
To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning , sign up here .
IMPEACHMENT UPDATE … Donald J. Trump was acquitted in the Senate on both impeachment charges .
He is still President of the United States .
DEMS FORCED TO WIN AT BALLOT BOX … `` Trump Acquitted Of Two Impeachment Charges In Near Party-Line Vote , '' via NYT : [ The ] Senate fell well short of the two-thirds margin that would have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concluding the three-week-long trial of the 45th president that has roiled Washington and threatened the presidency … [ Both ] parties conceded that voters , not the Senate , would deliver the final judgment on Mr. Trump when they cast ballots in just nine months .
SECRET WAMPUM … `` Meet The Dark Money Group Behind Elizabeth Warren ’ s Rise , '' by WFB ’ s Yuichiro Kakutani : As the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) … Warren rewarded Americans for Financial Reform ( AFR ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her to the post in the first place … AFR 's support for Warren continued after she left the agency .
Her campaigns have received more than $ 37,000 from the 18 organizations that form the dark money group 's steering committee .
ON TO NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR A CROTCH KICK … `` Biden goes on attack , slams Buttigieg and Sanders after taking ‘ gut punch ’ in Iowa , '' via FOX NEWS : Speaking to an audience in this small southeastern New Hampshire city … former vice president [ Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not going to sugarcoat it .
We took a gut punch in Iowa . ''
… Biden then unloaded on [ Bernie ] Sanders , warning that `` if Senator Sanders is the nominee for the party , every Democrat in America up and down the ballot … will have to carry the label that Senator Sanders has chosen for himself . ''
OLD MAN BIDEN WON ’ T TOLERATE THIS MALARKEY … `` First head rolls after Biden ’ s weak Iowa finish , '' via POLITICO : Joe Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa field director , two days after the former vice president came in an embarrassing fourth place in the primary caucus state … '' We had precinct captains who didn ’ t know how to run a caucus .
And a few didn ’ t even show .
We lost friggin ’ people on the second ballot of voting in the caucus !
Someone ’ s head had to roll , '' said a top-level Biden campaign staffer .
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING … `` After Disappointing Iowa Vote , Warren Says She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Money , '' via WAPO : Sen. Elizabeth Warren 's campaign is trying to conserve cash and pulled down a week of TV ads in Nevada and South Carolina after a disappointing third-place standing in Iowa that failed to provide a fundraising bump … She added that her cash comes from people who make small donations .
`` I just want to be very careful with this money , '' she said … [ A ] perceived lack of momentum can cause money to dry up quickly as low-dollar donors look elsewhere .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Pelosi Tearing Up Trump ’ s Speech Was ‘ Dignified ’ , '' by WFB ’ s Elizabeth Matamoros : `` I think the speaker has consistently found a dignified way to make clear she is not going to normalize the president 's behavior , '' [ Rep. Sean ] Maloney said on MSNBC … Maloney said he was proud of Pelosi ’ s conduct and that her response signaled to viewers that what the president said was false .
SEND THE BOMBERS … `` Iran Supreme Leader : Middle East Peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WFB ’ s Adam Kredo : In wide-ranging remarks Wednesday in Iran , [ Supreme Leader Ali ] Khamenei slammed the peace proposal as a `` sign of viciousness . ''
He said the terrorism against Israel is the only way to `` force out the Zionist enemy and the U.S. '' '' You saw that the U.S. bullies and hooligans unveiled the plan of the so-called deal of the century , '' Khamenei said in remarks carried by the country 's state-controlled press .
PERFECT COVER … `` Exclusive : Iran-linked hackers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' via REUTERS : When Iranian-born German academic Erfan Kasraie received an email from the Wall Street Journal requesting an interview , he sensed something was amiss .
The Nov. 12 note purportedly came from Farnaz Fassihi , a veteran Iranian-American journalist who covers the Middle East … In a report published Wednesday , London-based cybersecurity company Certfa tied the impersonation of Fassihi to a hacking group nicknamed Charming Kitten , which has long been associated with Iran .
A NEW THRILL UP HIS LEG … `` Chris Matthews : Romney Speech Made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' by WFB ’ s Cameron Cawthorne : MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews on Wednesday gushed over Sen. Mitt Romney 's ( R. , Utah ) floor speech about voting to remove President Donald Trump from office .
`` I want to say something about [ Romney ] when I get back in a minute , '' Matthews said on Hardball .
`` I was romantic about politics for a couple minutes again today like I used to be .
Romance in politics means believing in guts . ''
DO WE NEED TO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Metro Angers Industry by Refusing Gun Safety Ad , '' by WFB ’ s Stephen Gutowski : The agency refused to run an ad from the National Shooting Sports Foundation ( NSSF ) that highlighted the industry 's commitment `` to make communities safer . ''
The agency told the group the ad violated its guidelines but did not elaborate on any particular violation , according to an email obtained by the Washington Free Beacon .
The trade group said the decision is politically motivated .
`` There 's nothing controversial in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` So , it 's just another blatant example of bias against the firearms industry . ''
AT HARVARD , OUR CHILDREN IS LEARNING … SHRIMP SEEKS TO DEFY HISTORY … `` Mike Bloomberg 's Historically Diminutive Stature , In Context , '' by WFB ’ s Andrew Stiles : Every woman Donald Trump has ever married is taller than Mike Bloomberg .
First Lady Melania Trump is 5-foot-11 .
Marla Maples is five-foot-eight .
Ivanna Trump is six-feet tall .
Bloomberg is shorter than Vladimir Putin .
Putin is reportedly five-foot-seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to him ?
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW : 1,152 .
Come back , Joe !
`` You know who really doesn ’ t have it ?
Joe Biden . ''
—Former President Barack Obama Thanks for reading !
Send tips to rutz @ freebeacon.com .

Impeachment ends like we knew it would, and fallout from Biden’s Iowa flop continues
Welcome to the Washington Free Beacon’s morning newsletter, your comprehensive briefing on the Enemies of Freedom. To get this newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning, sign up here.
IMPEACHMENT UPDATE … Donald J. Trump was acquitted in the Senate on both impeachment charges. He is still President of the United States.
DEMS FORCED TO WIN AT BALLOT BOX … "Trump Acquitted Of Two Impeachment Charges In Near Party-Line Vote," via NYT: [The] Senate fell well short of the two-thirds margin that would have been needed to remove Mr. Trump, formally concluding the three-week-long trial of the 45th president that has roiled Washington and threatened the presidency …
[Both] parties conceded that voters, not the Senate, would deliver the final judgment on Mr. Trump when they cast ballots in just nine months.
SECRET WAMPUM … "Meet The Dark Money Group Behind Elizabeth Warren’s Rise," by WFB’s Yuichiro Kakutani: As the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) … Warren rewarded Americans for Financial Reform (AFR), which pressured the Obama administration to appoint her to the post in the first place …
AFR's support for Warren continued after she left the agency. Her campaigns have received more than $37,000 from the 18 organizations that form the dark money group's steering committee.
ON TO NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR A CROTCH KICK … "Biden goes on attack, slams Buttigieg and Sanders after taking ‘gut punch’ in Iowa," via FOX NEWS: Speaking to an audience in this small southeastern New Hampshire city … former vice president [Joe Biden] admitted, "I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We took a gut punch in Iowa." …
Biden then unloaded on [Bernie] Sanders, warning that "if Senator Sanders is the nominee for the party, every Democrat in America up and down the ballot … will have to carry the label that Senator Sanders has chosen for himself."
OLD MAN BIDEN WON’T TOLERATE THIS MALARKEY … "First head rolls after Biden’s weak Iowa finish," via POLITICO: Joe Biden’s campaign has parted ways with its Iowa field director, two days after the former vice president came in an embarrassing fourth place in the primary caucus state …
"We had precinct captains who didn’t know how to run a caucus. And a few didn’t even show. We lost friggin’ people on the second ballot of voting in the caucus! Someone’s head had to roll," said a top-level Biden campaign staffer.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING … "After Disappointing Iowa Vote, Warren Says She Needs To Be ‘Careful’ With Money," via WAPO: Sen. Elizabeth Warren's campaign is trying to conserve cash and pulled down a week of TV ads in Nevada and South Carolina after a disappointing third-place standing in Iowa that failed to provide a fundraising bump …
She added that her cash comes from people who make small donations. "I just want to be very careful with this money," she said … [A] perceived lack of momentum can cause money to dry up quickly as low-dollar donors look elsewhere.
DEM NEEDS DICTIONARY … "Dem Rep: Pelosi Tearing Up Trump’s Speech Was ‘Dignified’," by WFB’s Elizabeth Matamoros: "I think the speaker has consistently found a dignified way to make clear she is not going to normalize the president's behavior," [Rep. Sean] Maloney said on MSNBC …
Maloney said he was proud of Pelosi’s conduct and that her response signaled to viewers that what the president said was false.
SEND THE BOMBERS … "Iran Supreme Leader: Middle East Peace Deal Dead on Arrival," by WFB’s Adam Kredo: In wide-ranging remarks Wednesday in Iran, [Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei slammed the peace proposal as a "sign of viciousness." He said the terrorism against Israel is the only way to "force out the Zionist enemy and the U.S."
"You saw that the U.S. bullies and hooligans unveiled the plan of the so-called deal of the century," Khamenei said in remarks carried by the country's state-controlled press.
PERFECT COVER … "Exclusive: Iran-linked hackers pose as journalists in email scam," via REUTERS: When Iranian-born German academic Erfan Kasraie received an email from the Wall Street Journal requesting an interview, he sensed something was amiss.
The Nov. 12 note purportedly came from Farnaz Fassihi, a veteran Iranian-American journalist who covers the Middle East … In a report published Wednesday, London-based cybersecurity company Certfa tied the impersonation of Fassihi to a hacking group nicknamed Charming Kitten, which has long been associated with Iran.
A NEW THRILL UP HIS LEG … "Chris Matthews: Romney Speech Made Me ‘Romantic About Politics’ Again," by WFB’s Cameron Cawthorne: MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews on Wednesday gushed over Sen. Mitt Romney's (R., Utah) floor speech about voting to remove President Donald Trump from office.
"I want to say something about [Romney] when I get back in a minute," Matthews said on Hardball. "I was romantic about politics for a couple minutes again today like I used to be. Romance in politics means believing in guts."
DO WE NEED TO GO OVER HELLER AGAIN … "D.C. Metro Angers Industry by Refusing Gun Safety Ad," by WFB’s Stephen Gutowski: The agency refused to run an ad from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) that highlighted the industry's commitment "to make communities safer." The agency told the group the ad violated its guidelines but did not elaborate on any particular violation, according to an email obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The trade group said the decision is politically motivated.
"There's nothing controversial in the ad," spokesman Larry Keane said. "So, it's just another blatant example of bias against the firearms industry."
AT HARVARD, OUR CHILDREN IS LEARNING …
Actually, I was not aware of the scope of how detrimental he was so many native american populations. He was not a really good president. https://t.co/cLMMVl0Ju7 https://t.co/TswuPkep2V — David Hogg (@davidhogg111) February 5, 2020
SHRIMP SEEKS TO DEFY HISTORY … "Mike Bloomberg's Historically Diminutive Stature, In Context," by WFB’s Andrew Stiles: Every woman Donald Trump has ever married is taller than Mike Bloomberg. First Lady Melania Trump is 5-foot-11. Marla Maples is five-foot-eight. Ivanna Trump is six-feet tall.
Bloomberg is shorter than Vladimir Putin. Putin is reportedly five-foot-seven. How will Mini Mike stand up to him?
DAYS SINCE JOE BIDEN DID A SUNDAY SHOW: 1,152. Come back, Joe!
"You know who really doesn’t have it? Joe Biden." —Former President Barack Obama
Thanks for reading! Send tips to rutz@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-02-07--Chris Matthews Compares GOP Applause During SOTU to North Koreans Praising Dear Leader

MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews compared Republican lawmakers applauding President Donald Trump 's State of the Union to North Koreans praising their dictator .
`` When we look at pictures from North Korea , just an example of a dictatorship , you watch everybody wearing those high peaked hats and everybody smiling in unison or frowning in unison or marching in unison , a goose step , '' Matthews said Thursday night on Hardball .
`` And you watch the people and their so-called assembly , their congress , so-called .
They all are so frozen in fear of being seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very strict standard in that country . ''
`` Are Republicans beginning to act like that ?
Fearful of not showing the right sort of emotion even in public ?
You have to be exuberant in this cult when he stands before them , it seems , '' Matthews continued .
Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D. , Ohio ) said Republican reception to Trump 's speech was extraordinary .
`` You look across , it 's almost all white men , not entirely , '' Brown said .
`` You look across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way they stand and cheer for damn near anything that Trump says when he wants them to stand , just in unison . ''
`` I know State of the Union speeches are sometimes like that but never ever to this degree , '' he said .

MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews compared Republican lawmakers applauding President Donald Trump's State of the Union to North Koreans praising their dictator.
"When we look at pictures from North Korea, just an example of a dictatorship, you watch everybody wearing those high peaked hats and everybody smiling in unison or frowning in unison or marching in unison, a goose step," Matthews said Thursday night on Hardball. "And you watch the people and their so-called assembly, their congress, so-called. They all are so frozen in fear of being seen as somehow out of line which is a very strict standard in that country."
"Are Republicans beginning to act like that? Fearful of not showing the right sort of emotion even in public? You have to be exuberant in this cult when he stands before them, it seems," Matthews continued.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D., Ohio) said Republican reception to Trump's speech was extraordinary.
"You look across, it's almost all white men, not entirely," Brown said. "You look across their side of the aisle in the way they stand and cheer for damn near anything that Trump says when he wants them to stand, just in unison."
"I know State of the Union speeches are sometimes like that but never ever to this degree," he said.


freebeacon--2020-02-08--WFB’s Kredo: Law That Prevents Military Families From Suing Foreign States Is Outdated

Washington Free Beacon senior writer Adam Kredo on Friday argued a law keeping military families from suing foreign governments for cyber terror attacks is outdated .
`` The law is outdated mainly because military families … .
are just as at-risk , oftentimes , as their service member wives and husbands who are serving abroad , '' he said in an interview on Newsmax TV .
Kredo reported on these military families ' efforts lobbying for the right to sue foreign governments when they are the victims of cyber attacks , and he explained the changes to the law they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re trying to do is get this law exempted , '' Kredo said .
He said a proposed carveout in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act ( FSIA ) would empower military families `` to pursue damages against state-based hackers and others who might be attacking them and holding their personal information hostage . ''
Kredo also pointed out that the exemption is necessary given the current realities of cyber warfare in the internet age .
The goal of these cyber terror attacks is to proceed to the federal system .
Many military families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kredo said , because they `` are perceived as softer targets . ''
From there , it becomes easy to move into federal computers and servers , and after that , to uncover `` as much personal information as possible . ''
`` Because of the internet , you can actually threaten someone in their home , and it can be a pretty serious threat , '' he said .

Washington Free Beacon senior writer Adam Kredo on Friday argued a law keeping military families from suing foreign governments for cyber terror attacks is outdated.
"The law is outdated mainly because military families ... are just as at-risk, oftentimes, as their service member wives and husbands who are serving abroad," he said in an interview on Newsmax TV.
Kredo reported on these military families' efforts lobbying for the right to sue foreign governments when they are the victims of cyber attacks, and he explained the changes to the law they are advocating.
"What they’re trying to do is get this law exempted," Kredo said. He said a proposed carveout in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) would empower military families "to pursue damages against state-based hackers and others who might be attacking them and holding their personal information hostage."
Kredo also pointed out that the exemption is necessary given the current realities of cyber warfare in the internet age.
The goal of these cyber terror attacks is to proceed to the federal system. Many military families are sought out by state-sponsored terror groups, Kredo said, because they "are perceived as softer targets." From there, it becomes easy to move into federal computers and servers, and after that, to uncover "as much personal information as possible."
"Because of the internet, you can actually threaten someone in their home, and it can be a pretty serious threat," he said.


freebeacon--2020-02-07--Gutowski: Democrats Are Moving ‘Much Farther Left’ On Gun Control

Washington Free Beacon staff writer Stephen Gutowski on Friday said the Democratic Party has shifted to the left on gun control at a faster rate in recent years .
`` I think the Democratic Party has moved much further left on this issue over the last four to six years than they had been over the last several decades going back to the nineties because it had long been viewed as a political loser for them , '' Gutowski said during an interview on Newsmax TV .
Prior to last month 's Richmond gun rights rally , which drew tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Virginia state legislature were proposing AR-15 confiscation .
However , due to increased pressure on Democrats from Virginia gun owners , they dropped their AR-15 confiscation proposal as a `` compromise '' and weighed other gun-control proposals .
`` You had mentioned this bill being watered down , which would not require current owners of assault weapons to turn them in or register them with state police , as some earlier proposals required .
Democrats have called that a compromise .
Would you agree with that ? ''
the Newsmax anchor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is less radical than what the governor [ Ralph Northam ] had been pushing for the last year or so , starting back in January 2019 , which was essentially confiscation of all AR-15s and similar rifles , which would mean millions of firearms being illegal to possess even if you already legally purchased them , '' Gutowski said .
`` I think gun-rights proponents are still clearly unsatisfied . ''
Gutowski went on to say he believes some form of universal background checks will be passed , noting the state senate version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales .
`` Clearly the backlash has been intense within Virginia .
That protest is probably the largest programmed protest in the last several decades and probably the largest protest of any sort in Richmond in decades , so certainly there 's a lot of grassroots opposition to this , '' Gutowski said .

Washington Free Beacon staff writer Stephen Gutowski on Friday said the Democratic Party has shifted to the left on gun control at a faster rate in recent years.
"I think the Democratic Party has moved much further left on this issue over the last four to six years than they had been over the last several decades going back to the '90s because it had long been viewed as a political loser for them," Gutowski said during an interview on Newsmax TV.
Prior to last month's Richmond gun-rights rally, which drew tens of thousands of gun-rights advocates, Democrats in the Virginia state legislature were proposing AR-15 confiscation. However, due to increased pressure on Democrats from Virginia gun owners, they dropped their AR-15 confiscation proposal as a "compromise" and weighed other gun-control proposals.
"You had mentioned this bill being watered down, which would not require current owners of assault weapons to turn them in or register them with state police, as some earlier proposals required. Democrats have called that a compromise. Would you agree with that?" the Newsmax anchor asked Gutowski.
"Certainly this bill is less radical than what the governor [Ralph Northam] had been pushing for the last year or so, starting back in January 2019, which was essentially confiscation of all AR-15s and similar rifles, which would mean millions of firearms being illegal to possess even if you already legally purchased them," Gutowski said. "I think gun-rights proponents are still clearly unsatisfied."
Gutowski went on to say he believes some form of universal background checks will be passed, noting the state senate version will not apply to transfers, just sales.
"Clearly the backlash has been intense within Virginia. That protest is probably the largest programmed protest in the last several decades and probably the largest protest of any sort in Richmond in decades, so certainly there's a lot of grassroots opposition to this," Gutowski said.