freebeacon--2020-06-26--Pennsylvania Newspaper Rips Biden for Shutting Out Local Press

A local Pennsylvania newspaper slammed presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden 's campaign on Thursday for denying local reporters access to a Lancaster campaign event .
`` By shutting LNP | LancasterOnline out of an important community health discussion held here Thursday , the Biden campaign sent the wrong message about the importance of local newspaper journalism to the very communities it is trying to reach during the presidential campaign , '' the LNP editorial board wrote .
The board pointed out that national media and an Associated Press pool were able to cover the event while LNP 's journalists were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference because of `` space restrictions . ''
`` The COVID-19 health crisis is no excuse , '' the board wrote .
`` LNP | LancasterOnline has covered the pandemic extensively and thoughtfully .
Our professional reporters all follow masking and social distancing guidelines and could have easily done their jobs without risk to anyone . ''
Biden was in Lancaster Thursday to meet with three families and gave a speech discussing health care policy and criticizing President Donald Trump for his efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act .
He did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LNP journalist Ty Lohr tweeted about being denied access to the event .
The Biden campaign has touted its preference for local media interviews .
Senior Biden adviser Symone Sanders told Fox News anchor Chris Wallace on Sunday that Biden takes `` pride in prioritizing local media . ''
Sanders also defended Biden for not holding a news conference in almost three months .
She said the campaign 's virtual events and local media interviews are sufficient for campaigning because of the coronavirus pandemic .
She criticized the Trump campaign 's decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden has also appeared on several late-night comedy shows and made a controversial appearance on the radio show The Breakfast Club , where he said black voters who consider voting for President Trump `` ai n't black . ''

A local Pennsylvania newspaper slammed presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's campaign on Thursday for denying local reporters access to a Lancaster campaign event.
"By shutting LNP | LancasterOnline out of an important community health discussion held here Thursday, the Biden campaign sent the wrong message about the importance of local newspaper journalism to the very communities it is trying to reach during the presidential campaign," the LNP editorial board wrote.
The board pointed out that national media and an Associated Press pool were able to cover the event while LNP's journalists were told they could not enter the news conference because of "space restrictions."
"The COVID-19 health crisis is no excuse," the board wrote. "LNP | LancasterOnline has covered the pandemic extensively and thoughtfully. Our professional reporters all follow masking and social distancing guidelines and could have easily done their jobs without risk to anyone."
Biden was in Lancaster Thursday to meet with three families and gave a speech discussing health care policy and criticizing President Donald Trump for his efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He did not take any questions after the speech.
LNP journalist Ty Lohr tweeted about being denied access to the event.
LNP is not permitted inside the building while Biden is speaking, I’m told by someone with the Biden Campaign. Only national outlets. When I asked why, I was told 'space restrictions." Disheartening to know that local media isn’t allowed to fully cover this event inside and out. — Ty Lohr (@tylohrphoto) June 25, 2020
The Biden campaign has touted its preference for local media interviews. Senior Biden adviser Symone Sanders told Fox News anchor Chris Wallace on Sunday that Biden takes "pride in prioritizing local media."
Sanders also defended Biden for not holding a news conference in almost three months. She said the campaign's virtual events and local media interviews are sufficient for campaigning because of the coronavirus pandemic. She criticized the Trump campaign's decision to hold an in-person rally in Tulsa.
Biden has also appeared on several late-night comedy shows and made a controversial appearance on the radio show The Breakfast Club, where he said black voters who consider voting for President Trump "ain't black."


freebeacon--2020-06-26--L.A. Sheriff To Quadruple Gun-Carry Permits

The Los Angeles County sheriff announced on Wednesday his office plans to increase the number of gun-carry permits issued to residents by 400 percent .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva ( D. ) said he would assign additional staff to process gun-carry permit applications in an effort to improve the sheriff department 's operations .
He said the new resources could quadruple approvals .
`` I know another question some of you are going to ask about is the [ gun-carry permit ] policy , '' he said during a live stream .
`` We 're increasing the approval rate on these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up about 400 percent , roughly .
So , if you think you have good cause please submit it , go through the process , and we 've actually increased some of our staffing to accommodate that . ''
The number only sounds striking on paper .
A 2017 audit by the California State Auditor found the county had only issued 197 permits and there were only 9 active permits belonging to applicants outside the law enforcement community , despite the county having a population of more than 10 million .
Philadelphia County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of about 1.5 million and a `` shall issue '' gun-carry law , issued 9,239 permits in 2019 .
The Los Angeles Sheriff 's office did not respond to questions about why application processing is being sped up or how many gun-carry permits have been issued .
Brandon Combs , president of the California-based Firearms Policy Coalition , said he was not optimistic about the move , given the county 's history .
`` It 's offensive that this corrupt , anti-gun rights sheriff thinks that ’ s adequate or a substantive improvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Los Angeles County should have tens to hundreds of thousands of licensees based on its population—400 percent of nearly nothing is still nearly nothing . ''
California is one of only nine states where local officials have discretion over whether an applicant has `` good reason '' to carry a gun on their person and can even deny applicants who have completed the required training and passed a background check .
That 's different from the 25 states where `` shall issue '' gun-carry laws , which require a permit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a background check and training , have been implemented ; 16 states do not require a permit to carry a concealed gun .
Villanueva said the process for obtaining a gun-carry license in Los Angeles County had not changed despite the new effort to streamline processing .
`` Remember , ‘ good cause ' is not ‘ shall issue , ' '' the sheriff said .
`` We 're trying to make the system user friendly and if you 're eligible to receive it because you 've established a good cause we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Gun-rights activists have long decried `` good cause '' laws as too restrictive and arbitrarily enforced—sometimes corruptly .
A New York Police Department lieutenant was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2019 for accepting bribes in exchange for gun-carry permits .
An investigation by NBC Bay Area found gun-carry permit applicants who donated to the election campaigns of Santa Clara County , Calif. , sheriff Laurie Smith ( D. ) were about 14 times more likely to be approved for a permit than those who had not donated .
Combs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results .
`` It 's probably just going to result in more perks for his political donors , '' Combs said .
`` Sheriff Flip-Flop should be run out of town and replaced by someone who respects the Constitution . ''
Other Second Amendment activists were more optimistic about the announcement .
Alan Gottlieb , founder of the Second Amendment Foundation , said it was `` a good first step '' but added that the law should be changed to streamline the permitting process .
`` If this results in more people being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Los Angeles County , that is a win for Second Amendment rights , '' Gottlieb told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` But what is really needed is to get rid of the California state law that is ‘ may issue ' and replace it with a ‘ shall issue ' one that recognizes the right to carry . ''

The Los Angeles County sheriff announced on Wednesday his office plans to increase the number of gun-carry permits issued to residents by 400 percent.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva (D.) said he would assign additional staff to process gun-carry permit applications in an effort to improve the sheriff department's operations. He said the new resources could quadruple approvals.
"I know another question some of you are going to ask about is the [gun-carry permit] policy," he said during a live stream. "We're increasing the approval rate on these and it's probably going to go up about 400 percent, roughly. So, if you think you have good cause please submit it, go through the process, and we've actually increased some of our staffing to accommodate that."
The number only sounds striking on paper. A 2017 audit by the California State Auditor found the county had only issued 197 permits and there were only 9 active permits belonging to applicants outside the law enforcement community, despite the county having a population of more than 10 million. Philadelphia County in Pennsylvania, which has a population of about 1.5 million and a "shall issue" gun-carry law, issued 9,239 permits in 2019.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's office did not respond to questions about why application processing is being sped up or how many gun-carry permits have been issued.
Brandon Combs, president of the California-based Firearms Policy Coalition, said he was not optimistic about the move, given the county's history.
"It's offensive that this corrupt, anti-gun rights sheriff thinks that’s adequate or a substantive improvement," he told the Free Beacon. "Los Angeles County should have tens to hundreds of thousands of licensees based on its population—400 percent of nearly nothing is still nearly nothing."
California is one of only nine states where local officials have discretion over whether an applicant has "good reason" to carry a gun on their person and can even deny applicants who have completed the required training and passed a background check. That's different from the 25 states where "shall issue" gun-carry laws, which require a permit to be given to those who have passed a background check and training, have been implemented; 16 states do not require a permit to carry a concealed gun. Villanueva said the process for obtaining a gun-carry license in Los Angeles County had not changed despite the new effort to streamline processing.
"Remember, 'good cause' is not 'shall issue,'" the sheriff said. "We're trying to make the system user friendly and if you're eligible to receive it because you've established a good cause we don't want to interfere with that process."
Gun-rights activists have long decried "good cause" laws as too restrictive and arbitrarily enforced—sometimes corruptly. A New York Police Department lieutenant was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2019 for accepting bribes in exchange for gun-carry permits. An investigation by NBC Bay Area found gun-carry permit applicants who donated to the election campaigns of Santa Clara County, Calif., sheriff Laurie Smith (D.) were about 14 times more likely to be approved for a permit than those who had not donated. Combs said Villanueva's decision could produce similar results.
"It's probably just going to result in more perks for his political donors," Combs said. "Sheriff Flip-Flop should be run out of town and replaced by someone who respects the Constitution."
Other Second Amendment activists were more optimistic about the announcement. Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, said it was "a good first step" but added that the law should be changed to streamline the permitting process.
"If this results in more people being able to have the means of self-defense in Los Angeles County, that is a win for Second Amendment rights," Gottlieb told the Washington Free Beacon. "But what is really needed is to get rid of the California state law that is 'may issue' and replace it with a 'shall issue' one that recognizes the right to carry."


freebeacon--2020-06-26--DC, Park Police Protect Lincoln Statue From Protesters

Washington , D.C. and United States Park police on Thursday protected the Emancipation Memorial in Lincoln Park from protesters who earlier in the week vowed to tear down the statue .
Located one mile away from the U.S. Capitol , the memorial was surrounded by barriers and police after protesters on Tuesday said they would return to the park Thursday evening .
The nearly 150-year old memorial designed by Thomas Ball depicts President Abraham Lincoln standing over a freed slave .
The memorial was paid for by freed slaves to pay homage to Lincoln , who issued the Emancipation Proclamation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who partook in the protests and who have called for the statue 's removal , shared on Instagram why it should be torn down .
`` This statue represents a message that the freedoms and liberation of black people can only happen if it is on the white mans [ sic ] terms , '' the group said .
Since security was added around the memorial , Freedom Neighborhood activist and Harvard University student Glenn Foster said the new plan is to tear down the statue Friday at approximately 6 P.M. , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton ( D. ) on Tuesday said she will introduce a bill to have it removed .
`` The designers of the Emancipation Statue in Lincoln Park in DC didn ’ t take into account the views of African Americans .
It shows , '' Norton wrote on Twitter .
`` Blacks too fought to end enslavement .
That ’ s why I ’ m introducing a bill to move this statue to a museum . ''
Norton is also demanding the removal of President Andrew Jackson ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House .
Protesters on Monday attempted but failed to tear it down when police intervened .

Washington, D.C. and United States Park police on Thursday protected the Emancipation Memorial in Lincoln Park from protesters who earlier in the week vowed to tear down the statue.
Located one mile away from the U.S. Capitol, the memorial was surrounded by barriers and police after protesters on Tuesday said they would return to the park Thursday evening.
The nearly 150-year old memorial designed by Thomas Ball depicts President Abraham Lincoln standing over a freed slave. The memorial was paid for by freed slaves to pay homage to Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Freedom Neighborhood, a group who partook in the protests and who have called for the statue's removal, shared on Instagram why it should be torn down.
"This statue represents a message that the freedoms and liberation of black people can only happen if it is on the white mans [sic] terms," the group said.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CB0_ccEHhxn/
Since security was added around the memorial, Freedom Neighborhood activist and Harvard University student Glenn Foster said the new plan is to tear down the statue Friday at approximately 6 P.M., according to the Washington Examiner.
D.C., congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.) on Tuesday said she will introduce a bill to have it removed.
"The designers of the Emancipation Statue in Lincoln Park in DC didn’t take into account the views of African Americans. It shows," Norton wrote on Twitter. "Blacks too fought to end enslavement. That’s why I’m introducing a bill to move this statue to a museum."
The designers of the Emancipation Statue in Lincoln Park in DC didn’t take into account the views of African Americans. It shows. Blacks too fought to end enslavement. That’s why I’m introducing a bill to move this statue to a museum. pic.twitter.com/A0MOnISH1N — Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton (@EleanorNorton) June 23, 2020
Norton is also demanding the removal of President Andrew Jackson’s statue in Lafayette Square across from the White House. Protesters on Monday attempted but failed to tear it down when police intervened.


freebeacon--2020-06-27--College Stands by Student Leader Who Claimed Jews ‘Worship’ WW2

The Pomona College senior class president has received little condemnation for reposting a vulgar , anti-Semitic Instagram story claiming Jewish people `` hate brown [ people ] '' and `` worship '' World War II .
She also compared the war in Yemen to the Holocaust .
In a letter to Claremont Colleges community leaders , Afaneh apologized for the anti-Semitic comments and claims she meant to endorse another post .
`` When I wrote that my friend ‘ put into words what I was thinking , ' I was referring to the original tweet highlighting the lack of global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Afaneh wrote .
`` In hindsight , I now realize that my friend did n't write the tweet , but rather the anti-semetic [ sic ] comments below .
In my haste to repost her story , I truly did n't mean to amplify the hurtful comments . ''
Afaneh did not respond to request for comment .
The campus has been generous in its response to Afaneh 's post .
The director of Pomona College Hillel , Rabbi Danny Shapiro , told the Washington Free Beacon that he was more concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than he was about the post itself .
He said Afaneh 's apology was meaningful and satisfactory .
`` No student should be shamed and threatened for a lapse in judgment , '' Shapiro said .
`` Though we were deeply hurt by the recent anti-Semitic post … we have heard a meaningful apology from this individual . ''
Pomona College praised Afaneh 's response to criticism in the wake of the episode .
`` We condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms , and we seek to foster an atmosphere of respect for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Pomona College spokeswoman said .
`` In this case , the student government representative has apologized and reached out to support cross-cultural dialogue , which we encourage . ''
Controversial social media posts and private messages have led to the dismissal of students and professors across the country , but Afaneh is the second student government official to escape punishment for expressing anti-Jewish beliefs .
Two days before Afaneh sent her message , Florida State University 's student senate narrowly voted to retain its president despite revelations that he said `` f— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media .
The BDS Report , an anti-Semitism watchdog , told the Free Beacon that campus leaders need to take the threat of bigotry more seriously .
`` This incident is just another example of anti-Semitism being masked as anti-Israel sentiment at Pomona , '' a BDS Report spokesperson said .
`` We urge the administration at Pomona College to protect Jewish students and condemn the senior class president 's anti-Semitic comments . ''

The Pomona College senior class president has received little condemnation for reposting a vulgar, anti-Semitic Instagram story claiming Jewish people "hate brown [people]" and "worship" World War II. She also compared the war in Yemen to the Holocaust.
Malak Afaneh, a rising Pomona senior and the class president, also compared the war in Yemen to the Holocaust. "Once again, zionist-israel-birth-right- vacation-stuck-on-comparing- holocaust-to-racism-WW2-worshipping bitches, this should be right up ur alley. oh wait u hate brown ppl," the post read. Afaneh reposted the anti-Semitic picture, saying the post "put into words all I've been thinking."
In a letter to Claremont Colleges community leaders, Afaneh apologized for the anti-Semitic comments and claims she meant to endorse another post.
"When I wrote that my friend 'put into words what I was thinking,' I was referring to the original tweet highlighting the lack of global responses to the atrocities in Yemen," Afaneh wrote. "In hindsight, I now realize that my friend didn't write the tweet, but rather the anti-semetic [sic] comments below. In my haste to repost her story, I truly didn't mean to amplify the hurtful comments." Afaneh did not respond to request for comment.
The campus has been generous in its response to Afaneh's post. The director of Pomona College Hillel, Rabbi Danny Shapiro, told the Washington Free Beacon that he was more concerned that Afaneh could be "harassed" than he was about the post itself. He said Afaneh's apology was meaningful and satisfactory.
"No student should be shamed and threatened for a lapse in judgment," Shapiro said. "Though we were deeply hurt by the recent anti-Semitic post ... we have heard a meaningful apology from this individual."
Pomona College praised Afaneh's response to criticism in the wake of the episode.
"We condemn anti-Semitism in all its forms, and we seek to foster an atmosphere of respect for all members of our community," a Pomona College spokeswoman said. "In this case, the student government representative has apologized and reached out to support cross-cultural dialogue, which we encourage."
Controversial social media posts and private messages have led to the dismissal of students and professors across the country, but Afaneh is the second student government official to escape punishment for expressing anti-Jewish beliefs. Two days before Afaneh sent her message, Florida State University's student senate narrowly voted to retain its president despite revelations that he said "f— Israel" and "stupid Jew" on social media.
The BDS Report, an anti-Semitism watchdog, told the Free Beacon that campus leaders need to take the threat of bigotry more seriously.
"This incident is just another example of anti-Semitism being masked as anti-Israel sentiment at Pomona," a BDS Report spokesperson said. "We urge the administration at Pomona College to protect Jewish students and condemn the senior class president's anti-Semitic comments."


freebeacon--2020-06-28--New Gun Owners Could Sway Future Elections

The record-breaking gun sales during the coronavirus pandemic could bolster candidates that support the Second Amendment in 2020 and alter the course of American gun politics for the foreseeable future .
Several of the country 's leading gun-rights groups are working to convert many more first-time owners into new gun-rights voters in the run-up to the 2020 election .
Amy Hunter , a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association , said that the group 's success could change the political landscape at the local , state , and national level .
`` The NRA believes voters who recently purchased guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters and be an even more formidable voting bloc , '' Hunter told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` They 're educated , passionate , and they know anti-gun politicians are the biggest threat to their fundamental right to self-defense . ''
New buyers are learning for the first time how public policy shapes their ability to exercise their rights .
Larry Keane , spokesman for the industry 's National Shooting Sports Foundation ( NSSF ) , said that firsthand experience can change how voters look at gun control and Second Amendment legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these firearms because of concern about personal protection , the notion that anti-gun politicians who would strip us of our rights , would ban the most popular rifles being sold in the United States today is something that they should be taking into consideration '' in the voting booth , Keane said .
`` I hope and I think that they will . ''
After surveying retailers , NSSF estimates that 40 percent of those buying guns beginning in March were first-time owners .
Analysts estimate about 6 million guns have been sold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month setting a new sales record .
That would translate to as many as 2 million Americans becoming new gun owners over that time .
If gun-rights groups can mobilize that group , they can significantly impact the future of gun policy across the United States , according to Alan Gottlieb , chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms .
`` We ’ ve witnessed something that is nothing short of a sea change , and in some cases might approach the level of epiphany , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
`` This new wave of gun owners could become a formidable force during this year ’ s election .
From now on , we expect millions of new gun owners to pay closer attention to candidates , and reject those who would trample on their Second Amendment rights . ''
Keane said recent sales spikes are proof that many Americans who have traditionally stayed out of the gun debate are open to owning guns , especially when they feel their personal security is at risk .
The coronavirus pandemic saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get ] off the fence '' to purchase weapons .
He said NSSF members have reported complaints from new customers facing the realities of trying to acquire a firearm in a state with strict gun-control laws .
`` One of the things we 've heard repeatedly from retailers over the last several months , going back to the onset of the pandemic , was first-time buyers shocked by all of the laws that they were required to comply with , including , for example , California 's 10-day waiting period , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncommon for retailers to tell us these customers would say things like ‘ why do I have to wait two days ?
I 'm a law-abiding citizen .
I need a firearm now . '
'' Not all Second Amendment activists are confident about the immediate effects of new gun owners on the 2020 election , though .
Despite a reputation for being single-issue voters , gun owners come from a variety of political backgrounds .
It is unlikely that every new gun owner will automatically equal a new vote for a pro-gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president of the Firearms Policy Coalition .
`` I think many new gun owners will carry their identity with them into the voting booth , but they ’ re far from monolithic , so I don ’ t see it as likely changing election results in 2020 much , if any , '' Combs told the Free Beacon .
Robert Preston , an administrator for the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association , cautioned the effect could end up a wash , rather than tipping the partisan balance .
He acknowledged that gun owners `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' in the crucial 2020 swing state of Pennsylvania , but said that their voters have done more at the local and state level than in statewide races .
The state has largely remained `` conservative '' in its approach to gun issues , but that has not stopped voters from electing governors and presidents who favor gun control .
`` As for new gun owners , it could help .
However , there are many folks who own guns , whether new or old to guns , that would still vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are of more concern to that voter , '' Preston said .
The gun-rights movement may continue to see fresh opportunities to recruit new gun owners in the coming weeks and months .
NSSF expects the record-breaking pace of gun sales to continue in the coming months , `` which would put 2020 on track to be the biggest year for sales in the history of the industry . ''
`` Based on everything we have seen and heard our expectation is that June will be another record month , '' Keane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see any reason to believe that sales will not continue to be very strong going forward to the balance of the year right on through the election . ''
Gottlieb said those new gun owners could surprise a lot of people come November .
`` With legions of new gun owners ready to protect these newly discovered rights , it could be a pretty scrappy election year with lots of surprises , '' he said .

The record-breaking gun sales during the coronavirus pandemic could bolster candidates that support the Second Amendment in 2020 and alter the course of American gun politics for the foreseeable future.
Several of the country's leading gun-rights groups are working to convert many more first-time owners into new gun-rights voters in the run-up to the 2020 election. Amy Hunter, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, said that the group's success could change the political landscape at the local, state, and national level.
"The NRA believes voters who recently purchased guns for self-defense will join other Second Amendment voters and be an even more formidable voting bloc," Hunter told the Washington Free Beacon. "They're educated, passionate, and they know anti-gun politicians are the biggest threat to their fundamental right to self-defense."
New buyers are learning for the first time how public policy shapes their ability to exercise their rights. Larry Keane, spokesman for the industry's National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), said that firsthand experience can change how voters look at gun control and Second Amendment legislation.
"Particularly when people are purchasing these firearms because of concern about personal protection, the notion that anti-gun politicians who would strip us of our rights, would ban the most popular rifles being sold in the United States today is something that they should be taking into consideration" in the voting booth, Keane said. "I hope and I think that they will."
After surveying retailers, NSSF estimates that 40 percent of those buying guns beginning in March were first-time owners. Analysts estimate about 6 million guns have been sold in that time period, with each month setting a new sales record. That would translate to as many as 2 million Americans becoming new gun owners over that time.
If gun-rights groups can mobilize that group, they can significantly impact the future of gun policy across the United States, according to Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
"We’ve witnessed something that is nothing short of a sea change, and in some cases might approach the level of epiphany, about gun ownership," he said in a statement. "This new wave of gun owners could become a formidable force during this year’s election. From now on, we expect millions of new gun owners to pay closer attention to candidates, and reject those who would trample on their Second Amendment rights."
Keane said recent sales spikes are proof that many Americans who have traditionally stayed out of the gun debate are open to owning guns, especially when they feel their personal security is at risk. The coronavirus pandemic saw "an entire generation of fence-sitters [get] off the fence" to purchase weapons. He said NSSF members have reported complaints from new customers facing the realities of trying to acquire a firearm in a state with strict gun-control laws.
"One of the things we've heard repeatedly from retailers over the last several months, going back to the onset of the pandemic, was first-time buyers shocked by all of the laws that they were required to comply with, including, for example, California's 10-day waiting period," he said. "And it was not uncommon for retailers to tell us these customers would say things like 'why do I have to wait two days? I'm a law-abiding citizen. I need a firearm now.'"
Not all Second Amendment activists are confident about the immediate effects of new gun owners on the 2020 election, though. Despite a reputation for being single-issue voters, gun owners come from a variety of political backgrounds. It is unlikely that every new gun owner will automatically equal a new vote for a pro-gun candidate, according to Brandon Combs, president of the Firearms Policy Coalition.
"I think many new gun owners will carry their identity with them into the voting booth, but they’re far from monolithic, so I don’t see it as likely changing election results in 2020 much, if any," Combs told the Free Beacon.
Robert Preston, an administrator for the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association, cautioned the effect could end up a wash, rather than tipping the partisan balance. He acknowledged that gun owners "have always been a significant voting bloc" in the crucial 2020 swing state of Pennsylvania, but said that their voters have done more at the local and state level than in statewide races. The state has largely remained "conservative" in its approach to gun issues, but that has not stopped voters from electing governors and presidents who favor gun control.
"As for new gun owners, it could help. However, there are many folks who own guns, whether new or old to guns, that would still vote for an anti-gun candidate because of other issues that are of more concern to that voter," Preston said.
The gun-rights movement may continue to see fresh opportunities to recruit new gun owners in the coming weeks and months. NSSF expects the record-breaking pace of gun sales to continue in the coming months, "which would put 2020 on track to be the biggest year for sales in the history of the industry."
"Based on everything we have seen and heard our expectation is that June will be another record month," Keane said. "And I don't see any reason to believe that sales will not continue to be very strong going forward to the balance of the year right on through the election."
Gottlieb said those new gun owners could surprise a lot of people come November.
"With legions of new gun owners ready to protect these newly discovered rights, it could be a pretty scrappy election year with lots of surprises," he said.


freebeacon--2020-06-28--Pelosi: National Face Mask Mandate Is ‘Long Overdue’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) on Sunday said a national mandate that requires everyone to wear a face mask is `` long overdue . ''
`` My understanding , that the Centers for Disease Control has recommended the use of masks but not required it because they do n't want to offend the president , '' Pelosi said on ABC 's This Week .
`` Their president should be [ an ] example .
You know , real men wear masks .
Be an example to the country and wear the mask .
It 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting others . ''
Pelosi echoed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , who on Thursday said that he would mandate face masks in public if elected president .
`` I would do everything possible to make it a requirement that people had to wear masks in public , '' Biden said .
Nearly 90 percent of Americans wear a face mask in public , according to a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll , and 46 states currently require residents to wear masks in at least some public places .
Eighteen states , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , require residents to wear masks statewide .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) on Sunday said a national mandate that requires everyone to wear a face mask is "long overdue."
"My understanding, that the Centers for Disease Control has recommended the use of masks but not required it because they don't want to offend the president," Pelosi said on ABC's This Week. "Their president should be [an] example. You know, real men wear masks. Be an example to the country and wear the mask. It's not about protecting yourself, it's about protecting others."
Pelosi echoed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who on Thursday said that he would mandate face masks in public if elected president.
"I would do everything possible to make it a requirement that people had to wear masks in public," Biden said.
Nearly 90 percent of Americans wear a face mask in public, according to a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll, and 46 states currently require residents to wear masks in at least some public places. Eighteen states, including California, New York, and Illinois, require residents to wear masks statewide.


freebeacon--2020-06-28--Four Arrested for Damage to Andrew Jackson Statue Near White House

WASHINGTON—Four men have been charged in connection with damage to a statue of President Andrew Jackson during protests near the White House , the U.S. Justice Department said on Saturday .
The four people , who were from Washington , D.C. ; Maryland ; Maine and Virginia , were charged with destruction of federal property in connection with their alleged effort to tear down Jackson ’ s statue on June 22 , the Justice Department said .
`` This office remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the sacred First Amendment right of individuals to peacefully protest , but these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who choose to desecrate the statues and monuments that adorn our nation ’ s capital , '' said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin .
In the demonstration on Monday , protesters scrawled `` killer scum '' on the statue ’ s pedestal , fastened ropes and cords around the sculpted heads of both Jackson and his horse and doused the marble base with yellow paint before the crowd began trying to yank the statute from its base .
Dozens of law enforcement officers , led by U.S. Park Police , stormed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The protest came after crowds peacefully protesting the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis were forcibly displaced three weeks ago to make way for staged photos of President Donald Trump holding up a Bible in front of a historic nearby church .
Jackson , the seventh U.S. president , was a slave owner and championed a policy of moving Native Americans west of the Mississippi .
During his administration , the Cherokee Nation was forced to move from the Southeast to present-day Oklahoma in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tears . ''

By Diane Bartz
WASHINGTON—Four men have been charged in connection with damage to a statue of President Andrew Jackson during protests near the White House, the U.S. Justice Department said on Saturday.
The four people, who were from Washington, D.C.; Maryland; Maine and Virginia, were charged with destruction of federal property in connection with their alleged effort to tear down Jackson’s statue on June 22, the Justice Department said.
"This office remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the sacred First Amendment right of individuals to peacefully protest, but these charges should serve as a warning to those who choose to desecrate the statues and monuments that adorn our nation’s capital," said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael R. Sherwin.
In the demonstration on Monday, protesters scrawled "killer scum" on the statue’s pedestal, fastened ropes and cords around the sculpted heads of both Jackson and his horse and doused the marble base with yellow paint before the crowd began trying to yank the statute from its base.
Dozens of law enforcement officers, led by U.S. Park Police, stormed into the square and scattered the protesters.
The protest came after crowds peacefully protesting the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis were forcibly displaced three weeks ago to make way for staged photos of President Donald Trump holding up a Bible in front of a historic nearby church.
Jackson, the seventh U.S. president, was a slave owner and championed a policy of moving Native Americans west of the Mississippi. During his administration, the Cherokee Nation was forced to move from the Southeast to present-day Oklahoma in what is now called "The Trail of Tears."


freebeacon--2020-06-29--Iowa Senate Candidate Takes Thousands From Corporate-Funded PACs

Iowa Democratic Senate hopeful Theresa Greenfield has benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate special interest money even as she campaigns against the influence of money in politics .
The Iowa Democrat has accepted nearly $ 200,000 in campaign contributions from leadership PACs bankrolled by corporations .
Greenfield received $ 30,000 from PACs affiliated with senators Gary Peters ( D. , Mich. ) , Debbie Stabenow ( D. , Mich. ) , and Kyrsten Sinema ( D. , Ariz. ) —groups that have accepted more than $ 1 million in corporate PAC contributions , according to the Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped Greenfield bombard Iowa 's airwaves with advertisements calling for campaign finance reform .
Greenfield claimed in a June 19 ad that she does not take corporate PAC money , saying she does not `` think politicians should put corporate interests ahead of you . ''
In addition to leadership PAC money , Greenfield has benefited from millions in corporate PAC money through outside groups supporting her bid to unseat Sen. Joni Ernst ( R. ) .
Senate Majority PAC , a Chuck Schumer-aligned group backed by corporations and liberal billionaires , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting Greenfield .
When fellow Iowa Democrat Mike Franken criticized Greenfield for benefiting from ads funded by `` lobbyists and corporate PACS and Bain Capital and businesses '' as well as `` dark money , '' Greenfield dismissed the attack as `` Republican talking points . ''
Schumer has pledged to spend at least $ 13.1 million in Iowa this year .
While many top 2020 Democratic challengers have renounced corporate PAC money in their bids to unseat Republican incumbents , the pledge is largely symbolic .
Corporate PACs rarely contribute directly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers .
Leadership PACs give Democratic candidates a workaround , allowing them to collect corporate money from an indirect source .
Greenfield led all Democratic Senate challengers in leadership PAC funds as of December 2019 , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
Greenfield , who did not respond to a request for comment , has also accepted nearly $ 50,000 in campaign contributions from lobbyists .
Among her top donors are Avenue Solutions ' Amy Tejral and Forbes Tate Partners ' Jeffrey Forbes .
The pair combined to contribute more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likes of Exxon Mobil , JPMorgan Chase , Bank of America , and Deutsche Telekom .
Forbes , who served as chief of staff to former senator and Obama China ambassador Max Baucus , has received $ 17.6 million in pharmaceutical lobbying contracts to date , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
Greenfield has refused to disassociate herself from outside groups—funded in part by corporate money and dark money—spending millions to boost her candidacy .
In addition to the Senate Majority PAC , EMILY ’ s List has spent more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funded by those contributions took center stage at a Democratic debate in May .
`` You could just say , ‘ Don ’ t do that , ’ but you haven ’ t , '' debate moderator Dave Price said to Greenfield .
`` You could just say , ‘ Please take those things off the air .
They ’ re dirty and I don ’ t want any part of it.
’ '' '' Dave , I don ’ t control those groups .
I don ’ t even know who they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know who to call , '' Greenfield responded .
She repeatedly touted EMILY ’ s List ’ s endorsement in the closing days of the primary race .
Greenfield will take on Ernst in November after receiving nearly 48 percent of the vote in the June 2 primary .

Iowa Democratic Senate hopeful Theresa Greenfield has benefited from hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate special interest money even as she campaigns against the influence of money in politics.
The Iowa Democrat has accepted nearly $200,000 in campaign contributions from leadership PACs bankrolled by corporations. Greenfield received $30,000 from PACs affiliated with senators Gary Peters (D., Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (D., Mich.), and Kyrsten Sinema (D., Ariz.)—groups that have accepted more than $1 million in corporate PAC contributions, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Those donations have helped Greenfield bombard Iowa's airwaves with advertisements calling for campaign finance reform. Greenfield claimed in a June 19 ad that she does not take corporate PAC money, saying she does not "think politicians should put corporate interests ahead of you."
In addition to leadership PAC money, Greenfield has benefited from millions in corporate PAC money through outside groups supporting her bid to unseat Sen. Joni Ernst (R.). Senate Majority PAC, a Chuck Schumer-aligned group backed by corporations and liberal billionaires, has spent nearly $7 million on ads supporting Greenfield. When fellow Iowa Democrat Mike Franken criticized Greenfield for benefiting from ads funded by "lobbyists and corporate PACS and Bain Capital and businesses" as well as "dark money," Greenfield dismissed the attack as "Republican talking points." Schumer has pledged to spend at least $13.1 million in Iowa this year.
While many top 2020 Democratic challengers have renounced corporate PAC money in their bids to unseat Republican incumbents, the pledge is largely symbolic. Corporate PACs rarely contribute directly to candidates, instead funneling money to current lawmakers. Leadership PACs give Democratic candidates a workaround, allowing them to collect corporate money from an indirect source. Greenfield led all Democratic Senate challengers in leadership PAC funds as of December 2019, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Greenfield, who did not respond to a request for comment, has also accepted nearly $50,000 in campaign contributions from lobbyists. Among her top donors are Avenue Solutions' Amy Tejral and Forbes Tate Partners' Jeffrey Forbes. The pair combined to contribute more than $8,000 and have lobbied for the likes of Exxon Mobil, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Deutsche Telekom. Forbes, who served as chief of staff to former senator and Obama China ambassador Max Baucus, has received $17.6 million in pharmaceutical lobbying contracts to date, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Greenfield has refused to disassociate herself from outside groups—funded in part by corporate money and dark money—spending millions to boost her candidacy. In addition to the Senate Majority PAC, EMILY’s List has spent more than $2.5 million backing Greenfield. Ads funded by those contributions took center stage at a Democratic debate in May.
"You could just say, ‘Don’t do that,’ but you haven’t," debate moderator Dave Price said to Greenfield. "You could just say, ‘Please take those things off the air. They’re dirty and I don’t want any part of it.’"
"Dave, I don’t control those groups. I don’t even know who they are. I wouldn’t even know who to call," Greenfield responded. She repeatedly touted EMILY’s List’s endorsement in the closing days of the primary race.
Greenfield will take on Ernst in November after receiving nearly 48 percent of the vote in the June 2 primary.


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Seattle Police to Clear Out ‘Lawless and Brutal’ Protest Zone

( Reuters ) – Seattle police are working to clear out a protest zone in the city that has become `` lawless and brutal '' after weeks of violence , including four shootings and the deaths of two teenagers , the city ’ s police chief said on Wednesday .
The move came after Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan declared the gathering of people in and around the police department ’ s East Precinct and Cal Anderson Park an `` unlawful assembly , '' the city ’ s police chief , Carmen Best , said in a statement .
`` As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say again , I support peaceful demonstrations , '' Best said .
`` But enough is enough . ''
Four nights of gun violence in the last 10 days have left two black teenagers dead and two more people hospitalized amid an increasingly diminished presence of demonstrators in the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ( CHOP ) outside the abandoned East Precinct .
President Donald Trump has been demanding that Washington state and Seattle take action to eject the protesters , calling them `` domestic terrorists , '' but city authorities had until Wednesday @ @ @ @ @

By Lindsey Wasson
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Seattle authorities moved on Wednesday to dismantle a protest zone that the city’s police chief derided as "lawless and brutal" and which had prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to call for action against demonstrators.
Officers, clad in helmets and extra protective gear, entered the "autonomous zone" early and by mid-morning had arrested 31 people for failure to disperse, assault and other alleged crimes. One man was detained with a metal pipe and kitchen knife, according to the police department’s Twitter feed.
Police moved to retake the zone after Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan declared the gathering in and around the police department’s East Precinct and Cal Anderson Park an "unlawful assembly," the police chief, Carmen Best, said in a statement that highlighted a recent spate of shootings.
Harry "Rick" Hearns, a protester who said he volunteered to provide armed security at CHOP for 24 straight days, told Reuters he supported the police crackdown "1,000 percent." He said he blamed the violence on outsiders who had marred an otherwise successful month-long occupation.
"The outsiders come in with guns, violence, rocks, sticks," said Hearns, 59. "We don’t represent violence. People brought that to us."
Police were walking in and out of the precinct on Wednesday, re-establishing control. Weeks earlier, they abandoned the building following clashes with protesters in the wake of the May 25 killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of that city’s police.
Floyd’s death triggered a nationwide wave of largely peaceful demonstrations against racial injustice and police brutality, giving rise in Seattle to the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) zone east of downtown.
"The CHOP has become lawless and brutal. Four shootings — two fatal — robberies, assaults, violence and countless property crimes have occurred in this several-block area," Best said in a statement.
Trump has been demanding that local authorities eject the protesters which he labeled "domestic terrorists". Conservative pundits have pointed to the zone in Seattle to support an argument that protests across the country were less peaceful than they were generally being portrayed.
Seattle police officers in black armored vehicles and officers in helmets carrying batons patrolled the perimeter of the area that was barricaded with spraypainted plywood, some marked with phrases like "All Lives Don’t Matter Until Black Lives Matter" and "RIP E Precinct."
Bicycle police employed three dozen bikes to create a barricade at East Pike and 12th Avenue, allowing city crews to take down protesters’ tents. Some officers sipped Starbucks’ coffee, evidence the operation had so far met no serious resistance.
"Officers continue to give dispersal orders and are checking Cal Anderson restrooms," the police department said. "Thank you to the individuals affiliated with the CHOP who have assisted officers in encouraging people to safely leave the area."
The zone has become less crowded and active over the past several days. Crowds that came by the thousands to listen to speeches about police brutality and marvel at street art commemorating black lives have disappeared, as have medic stations and multiple free food tents.
Businesses in the area, a trendy neighborhood of hipster bars and boutiques, have been pushing for a tougher stance by authorities. Attorneys have filed two class action lawsuits against the City of Seattle, including one aimed at preventing city and state leaders from allowing establishment of "lawless autonomous zones" in the future.
(Reporting by Lindsey Wasson in Seattle, Barbara Goldberg in Maplewood, New Jersey and Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Hong Kong Police Arrest More Than 300 Following New Security Law

HONG KONG ( Reuters ) – Hong Kong police fired water cannon and tear gas and arrested more than 300 people on Wednesday as protesters took to the streets in defiance of sweeping security legislation introduced by China to snuff out dissent .
Beijing unveiled the details of the much-anticipated law late on Tuesday after weeks of uncertainty , pushing China ’ s freest city and one of the world ’ s most glittering financial hubs on to a more authoritarian path .
As thousands of protesters gathered for an annual rally marking the anniversary of the former British colony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , riot police used pepper spray and fired pellets as they made arrests after crowds spilled into the streets chanting `` resist till the end '' and `` Hong Kong independence '' .
`` I ’ m scared of going to jail but for justice I have to come out today , I have to stand up , '' said one 35-year-old man who gave his name as Seth .
Police said they had made more than 300 arrests for illegal assembly and other offenses , with nine involving violations of the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secession , subversion , terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison , will see mainland security agencies in Hong Kong for the first time and allows extradition to the mainland for trial .
China ’ s parliament adopted the law in response to protests last year triggered by fears that Beijing was stifling the city ’ s freedoms , guaranteed by a `` one country , two systems '' formula agreed when it returned to Chinese rule .
Beijing denies the accusation .
`` You are displaying flags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intent such as secession or subversion , which may constitute offenses under the … national security law , '' police said in a message displayed on a purple banner .
Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have repeatedly said the legislation is aimed at a few `` troublemakers '' and will not affect rights and freedoms , nor investors ’ interests .
But critics fear it will end the pro-democracy opposition and crush freedoms , including an independent legal system and right to protest , that are seen as key to Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the new law was an affront to all nations and Washington would continue to implement President Donald Trump ’ s directive to end the territory ’ s special status .
Britain said it would stand by its word and offer all those in Hong Kong with British National Overseas status a `` bespoke '' immigration route .
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab described Wednesday ’ s protests as heartbreaking and reprimanded HSBC and other banks for supporting the new law , saying the rights of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankers ’ bonuses .
Britain and Canada also updated their travel advisories for Hong Kong , saying there was an increased risk of detention .
A former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong , Simon Cheng , said he had been granted political asylum by the British government after being beaten by Chinese secret police last year in mainland China during 15 days of detention .
In a post on Facebook after the enactment of the national security law , he said he hoped other Hong Kong people would be offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cannon to try to disperse the protesters .
A game of cat and mouse reminiscent of last year ’ s often violent demonstrations followed , with protesters blocking roads before running away from riot police charging with batons , only to re-emerge elsewhere .
Police posted pictures on Twitter of an officer with a bleeding arm saying he was stabbed by `` rioters holding sharp objects '' .
The suspects fled while bystanders offered no help , police said .
On July 1 last year , hundreds of protesters stormed and vandalized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China .
Those protests evolved into anti-China demonstrations and calls for democracy , paralyzing parts of the city and paving the way for Beijing ’ s new law .
In Beijing , Zhang Xiaoming , executive deputy director of Beijing ’ s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office , told reporters suspects arrested by a new Beijing-run security office could be tried on the mainland .
He said the new office abided by Chinese law and that Hong Kong ’ s legal system could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the mainland .
Article 55 of the law states that Beijing ’ s security office in Hong Kong could exercise jurisdiction over `` complex '' or `` serious '' cases .
`` The law is a birthday gift to ( Hong Kong ) and will show its precious value in the future , '' Zhang said , adding the law would not be applied retroactively .
Speaking at a flag-raising ceremony to mark the handover , the city ’ s Beijing-backed leader , Carrie Lam , said the law was the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also an inevitable and prompt decision to restore stability , '' Lam said at the harbor-front venue where the last colonial governor , Chris Patten , a staunch critic of the security law , tearfully handed back Hong Kong to China .
Some pro-Beijing officials and political commentators say the law is aimed at sealing Hong Kong ’ s `` second return '' to the motherland after the first failed to bring residents to heel .
Luo Huining , the head of Beijing ’ s top representative office in Hong Kong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` common aspiration '' of Hong Kong citizens .
Some pro-democracy activists gave up membership of their groups just before the law came into force on Tuesday , though they called for the campaign to carry on from abroad .
`` I saw this morning there are celebrations for Hong Kong ’ s handover , but to me it is a funeral , a funeral for ‘ one country two systems ’ , '' said pro-democracy lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki .

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police fired water cannon and tear gas and arrested more than 300 people on Wednesday as protesters took to the streets in defiance of sweeping security legislation introduced by China to snuff out dissent.
Beijing unveiled the details of the much-anticipated law late on Tuesday after weeks of uncertainty, pushing China’s freest city and one of the world’s most glittering financial hubs on to a more authoritarian path.
As thousands of protesters gathered for an annual rally marking the anniversary of the former British colony’s handover to China in 1997, riot police used pepper spray and fired pellets as they made arrests after crowds spilled into the streets chanting "resist till the end" and "Hong Kong independence".
"I’m scared of going to jail but for justice I have to come out today, I have to stand up," said one 35-year-old man who gave his name as Seth.
Police said they had made more than 300 arrests for illegal assembly and other offenses, with nine involving violations of the new law.
The law punishes crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison, will see mainland security agencies in Hong Kong for the first time and allows extradition to the mainland for trial.
China’s parliament adopted the law in response to protests last year triggered by fears that Beijing was stifling the city’s freedoms, guaranteed by a "one country, two systems" formula agreed when it returned to Chinese rule. Beijing denies the accusation.
Hong Kong police cited the law in confronting protesters.
"You are displaying flags or banners/chanting slogans/or conducting yourselves with an intent such as secession or subversion, which may constitute offenses under the ... national security law," police said in a message displayed on a purple banner.
Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have repeatedly said the legislation is aimed at a few "troublemakers" and will not affect rights and freedoms, nor investors’ interests.
‘HEARTBREAKING’
But critics fear it will end the pro-democracy opposition and crush freedoms, including an independent legal system and right to protest, that are seen as key to Hong Kong’s success as a financial centre.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the new law was an affront to all nations and Washington would continue to implement President Donald Trump’s directive to end the territory’s special status.
Britain said it would stand by its word and offer all those in Hong Kong with British National Overseas status a "bespoke" immigration route.
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab described Wednesday’s protests as heartbreaking and reprimanded HSBC and other banks for supporting the new law, saying the rights of Hong Kong should not be sacrificed for bankers’ bonuses.
Britain and Canada also updated their travel advisories for Hong Kong, saying there was an increased risk of detention.
A former employee of the British consulate in Hong Kong, Simon Cheng, said he had been granted political asylum by the British government after being beaten by Chinese secret police last year in mainland China during 15 days of detention.
In a post on Facebook after the enactment of the national security law, he said he hoped other Hong Kong people would be offered protection by Britain.
Police fired water cannon to try to disperse the protesters. A game of cat and mouse reminiscent of last year’s often violent demonstrations followed, with protesters blocking roads before running away from riot police charging with batons, only to re-emerge elsewhere.
Police posted pictures on Twitter of an officer with a bleeding arm saying he was stabbed by "rioters holding sharp objects". The suspects fled while bystanders offered no help, police said.
On July 1 last year, hundreds of protesters stormed and vandalized the city’s legislature to protest against a bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.
Those protests evolved into anti-China demonstrations and calls for democracy, paralyzing parts of the city and paving the way for Beijing’s new law.
‘BIRTHDAY GIFT’
In Beijing, Zhang Xiaoming, executive deputy director of Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, told reporters suspects arrested by a new Beijing-run security office could be tried on the mainland.
He said the new office abided by Chinese law and that Hong Kong’s legal system could not be expected to implement the laws of the mainland. Article 55 of the law states that Beijing’s security office in Hong Kong could exercise jurisdiction over "complex" or "serious" cases.
"The law is a birthday gift to (Hong Kong) and will show its precious value in the future," Zhang said, adding the law would not be applied retroactively.
Speaking at a flag-raising ceremony to mark the handover, the city’s Beijing-backed leader, Carrie Lam, said the law was the most important development since 1997.
"It is also an inevitable and prompt decision to restore stability," Lam said at the harbor-front venue where the last colonial governor, Chris Patten, a staunch critic of the security law, tearfully handed back Hong Kong to China.
Some pro-Beijing officials and political commentators say the law is aimed at sealing Hong Kong’s "second return" to the motherland after the first failed to bring residents to heel.
Luo Huining, the head of Beijing’s top representative office in Hong Kong, said at the ceremony the law was a "common aspiration" of Hong Kong citizens.
Some pro-democracy activists gave up membership of their groups just before the law came into force on Tuesday, though they called for the campaign to carry on from abroad.
"I saw this morning there are celebrations for Hong Kong’s handover, but to me it is a funeral, a funeral for ‘one country two systems’," said pro-democracy lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki.
(Reporting by Yanni Chow, Twinnie Siu, Pak Yiu, Scott Murdoch, Joyce Zhou, Clare Jim, Jessie Pang, Tyrone Siu and James Pomfret in Hong Kong, Yew Lun Tian in Beijing, William James and Guy Faulconbridge in London and Denny Thomas in Toronto; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree and Marius Zaharia; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel and Nick Macfie)


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Bullock Joined Private PAC Fundraiser During Coronavirus Shutdown

Less than two weeks before Montana governor Steve Bullock assured voters that his Senate campaign would take a backseat to the state 's coronavirus response , the Democrat joined a private fundraiser with a corporate-backed PAC during official work hours .
According to an invitation obtained by the Washington Free Beacon , Bullock attended a Moderate Democrats PAC fundraiser on April 17 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. MST .
The event—which was open to the PAC 's `` Trustees and Executive Members '' only—occurred while Montana was in statewide lockdown due to the virus .
Bullock went on to extend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Less than two weeks after the fundraiser , Bullock claimed that his last-minute bid to unseat GOP Sen. Steve Daines would not take priority over his pandemic response .
`` I look forward to when I can spend more time thinking about the campaign and doing that work , '' he told the Associated Press , adding that he 's focused on making sure `` lives are being saved . ''
Bullock also attended a fundraiser hosted by Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) on April 21 .
The revelation could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his coronavirus response .
While the Democrat 's handling of the pandemic garnered him a 70 percent approval rating in a May Montana State University poll , Bullock has come under fire in recent weeks for politicizing the virus .
A June Fox News report showed that he filled his coronavirus task force with multiple big-money donors who then made recommendations on how to allocate more than $ 1 billion in federal stimulus aid .
The Bullock campaign did not respond to a request for comment .
In addition to calling into question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presence at the private fundraiser diminishes his positioning as a campaign finance purist .
While Bullock has pledged to `` take no corporate PAC money , '' 64 percent of Moderate Democrats PAC 's funds in the 2020 cycle—more than $ 522,000—came from corporate sources .
Major donors include Citigroup , Boeing , Lockheed Martin , and ExxonMobil .
`` This is yet another example of how Governor Bullock says one thing but does the other .
He promised not to take corporate PAC money yet backdoors these corporate dollars into his campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Free Beacon .
`` As long as Bullock gets to have it both ways , he will continue to mislead and misrepresent himself to Montanans . ''
Bullock has also benefited from $ 700,000 in ads targeting Daines from Schumer 's Senate Majority PAC , which accepts millions from corporate PACs and big-money liberal donors .
In addition , liberal dark money group Protect Our Care announced a $ 250,000 ad campaign supporting Bullock in March .
The group is an affiliate of dark money juggernaut Arabella Advisors , which spent $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealing the source of its funds .
After repeatedly dismissing a Senate run during his failed presidential bid , Bullock launched his campaign in March .
The decision came following closed-door meetings with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) and former president Barack Obama .
According to former Montana Democratic senator Max Baucus , Bullock 's meeting with Schumer was `` key to the decision '' to run .
Bullock claimed in his campaign 's first TV ad , however , that he `` wo n't answer to party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race against Daines bolstered Democratic hopes to flip the Trump-won state in November .
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report currently rates the race a `` toss up . ''

Less than two weeks before Montana governor Steve Bullock assured voters that his Senate campaign would take a backseat to the state's coronavirus response, the Democrat joined a private fundraiser with a corporate-backed PAC during official work hours.
According to an invitation obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, Bullock attended a Moderate Democrats PAC fundraiser on April 17 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. MST. The event—which was open to the PAC's "Trustees and Executive Members" only—occurred while Montana was in statewide lockdown due to the virus. Bullock went on to extend his stay-at-home order on April 24.
Less than two weeks after the fundraiser, Bullock claimed that his last-minute bid to unseat GOP Sen. Steve Daines would not take priority over his pandemic response.
"I look forward to when I can spend more time thinking about the campaign and doing that work," he told the Associated Press, adding that he's focused on making sure "lives are being saved." Bullock also attended a fundraiser hosted by Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) on April 21.
The revelation could undermine Bullock's ability to campaign on his coronavirus response. While the Democrat's handling of the pandemic garnered him a 70 percent approval rating in a May Montana State University poll, Bullock has come under fire in recent weeks for politicizing the virus. A June Fox News report showed that he filled his coronavirus task force with multiple big-money donors who then made recommendations on how to allocate more than $1 billion in federal stimulus aid.
The Bullock campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
In addition to calling into question his priorities as governor, Bullock's presence at the private fundraiser diminishes his positioning as a campaign finance purist. While Bullock has pledged to "take no corporate PAC money," 64 percent of Moderate Democrats PAC's funds in the 2020 cycle—more than $522,000—came from corporate sources. Major donors include Citigroup, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and ExxonMobil.
"This is yet another example of how Governor Bullock says one thing but does the other. He promised not to take corporate PAC money yet backdoors these corporate dollars into his campaign," a Montana GOP spokesperson told the Free Beacon. "As long as Bullock gets to have it both ways, he will continue to mislead and misrepresent himself to Montanans."
Bullock has also benefited from $700,000 in ads targeting Daines from Schumer's Senate Majority PAC, which accepts millions from corporate PACs and big-money liberal donors. In addition, liberal dark money group Protect Our Care announced a $250,000 ad campaign supporting Bullock in March. The group is an affiliate of dark money juggernaut Arabella Advisors, which spent $600 million backing Democrats in 2018 without revealing the source of its funds.
After repeatedly dismissing a Senate run during his failed presidential bid, Bullock launched his campaign in March. The decision came following closed-door meetings with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and former president Barack Obama. According to former Montana Democratic senator Max Baucus, Bullock's meeting with Schumer was "key to the decision" to run. Bullock claimed in his campaign's first TV ad, however, that he "won't answer to party bosses."
Bullock's entry in the race against Daines bolstered Democratic hopes to flip the Trump-won state in November. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report currently rates the race a "toss up."


freebeacon--2020-07-01--Happy Pride! MSNBC Promotes Homophobic Blogger to Replace Misogynist Creep

MSNBC is no stranger to controversy .
Nevertheless , the decision to mark the end of Pride Month by promoting a former homophobic blogger was unusually transgressive even for the middling left-wing network .
The network 's 7:00 p.m. weekday slot—once occupied by Chris Matthews , who resigned suddenly in March amid allegations of creepy misogynist behavior—was awarded to Joy Reid , the current host of AM Joy on MSNBC .
Reid refused to resign amid allegations that she authored a series of homophobic , Islamophobic , anti-Semitic , and pro-Trump posts on her old blog , `` The Reid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the revelation of the controversial blog posts was so absurd that even CNN 's Brian Stelter declined to defend the MSNBC host .
After initially apologizing after the posts were uncovered by a random Twitter user in December 2017 , Reid reversed course months later in response to a Mediaite report , insisting that her blog had been retroactively hacked .
`` In December I learned that an unknown , external party accessed and manipulated material from my now-defunct blog , The Reid Report , to include offensive and hateful references that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beliefs and ideology , '' Reid told Mediaite in April 2018 , citing the assessment of a `` cyber-security expert . ''
Reid 's attorney later alleged that the FBI had opened a criminal investigation into the matter .
Reid 's hacking allegations were roundly dismissed as ridiculous .
CNN political commentator Maria Cardona compared Reid to disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner ( D. , N.Y. ) , who claimed his Facebook was hacked after he accidentally posted a crotch-involved sext on his Twitter account .
Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you make up when you 're really desperate . ''
Several weeks later , Reid reversed course again by `` sincerely apologizing '' for writing on her blog `` things that I deeply regret and am embarrassed by . ''
MSNBC also released a statement accepting Reid 's apology and acknowledging that `` some of the things written by Joy on her old blog are obviously hateful and hurtful . ''
Neither Reid nor the network mentioned the alleged investigation into her hacking claims .
The blog posts included an image with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ariz. ) head photoshopped on the body of the 2007 Virginia Tech shooter , jokes about McCain having sex with `` Miss Charlie '' aka former governor Charlie Crist ( R. , Fla. ) , conspiracy theories about the true perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks , an endorsement of former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's proposal to relocate Israeli Jews to Europe , and emphatic support for the `` kick-ass funny '' Donald Trump in his ongoing feud with `` chubbed-out shrew '' Rosie O'Donnell .
The blatant homophobia expressed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to former NBA guard Tim Hardaway 's `` hate '' for gay people , prompted a gay rights advocacy group to rescind the `` Straight for Equality in Media '' award previously given to Reid .
Former colleagues at a Florida radio station said the anti-gay sentiment expressed on the blog was in keeping with Reid 's personality .
They described Reid as an `` evil woman '' who made homophobic remarks , threatened violence against coworkers , and fostered `` a very unhealthy work environment because of her attitude . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has continued to make outrageous statements , albeit within the bounds of prevailing elite sentiment .
She compared Trump 's election to Adolf Hitler 's rise to power , accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R. , Ky. ) of wanting to bankrupt the country in the name of white nationalism , suggested Attorney General William Barr played a role in billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein 's death , and described Robert Mueller 's investigation in Russian meddling as a `` cover up . ''
MSNBC 's decision to elevate Reid , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism and factual inaccuracy , is a blow to several of her scandal-plagued colleagues who may have been hoping to take over for Matthews , who , in addition to being a misogynist creep , was also fond of comparing Trump to Hitler .
Former fat preacher and anti-Semitic activist Al Sharpton , for example , was presumably eager to return to a weekday time slot after being relegated to the weekend since 2015 .
Brian Williams , who was briefly suspended for repeatedly fabricating stories about reporting in war zones , might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slot after being relegated to 11:00 p.m. since his reinstatement .
Reid , Sharpton , and Williams are proud members of the Washington Free Beacon ‘ s MSNBC All-Decade Team .
Congrats !

MSNBC is no stranger to controversy. Nevertheless, the decision to mark the end of Pride Month by promoting a former homophobic blogger was unusually transgressive even for the middling left-wing network.
The network's 7:00 p.m. weekday slot—once occupied by Chris Matthews, who resigned suddenly in March amid allegations of creepy misogynist behavior—was awarded to Joy Reid, the current host of AM Joy on MSNBC. Reid refused to resign amid allegations that she authored a series of homophobic, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, and pro-Trump posts on her old blog, "The Reid Report."
Reid's response to the revelation of the controversial blog posts was so absurd that even CNN's Brian Stelter declined to defend the MSNBC host. After initially apologizing after the posts were uncovered by a random Twitter user in December 2017, Reid reversed course months later in response to a Mediaite report, insisting that her blog had been retroactively hacked.
"In December I learned that an unknown, external party accessed and manipulated material from my now-defunct blog, The Reid Report, to include offensive and hateful references that are fabricated and run counter to my personal beliefs and ideology," Reid told Mediaite in April 2018, citing the assessment of a "cyber-security expert." Reid's attorney later alleged that the FBI had opened a criminal investigation into the matter.
Reid's hacking allegations were roundly dismissed as ridiculous. CNN political commentator Maria Cardona compared Reid to disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner (D., N.Y.), who claimed his Facebook was hacked after he accidentally posted a crotch-involved sext on his Twitter account. Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik said "it's the kind of thing you make up when you're really desperate."
Several weeks later, Reid reversed course again by "sincerely apologizing" for writing on her blog "things that I deeply regret and am embarrassed by." MSNBC also released a statement accepting Reid's apology and acknowledging that "some of the things written by Joy on her old blog are obviously hateful and hurtful." Neither Reid nor the network mentioned the alleged investigation into her hacking claims.
The blog posts included an image with the late senator John McCain's (R., Ariz.) head photoshopped on the body of the 2007 Virginia Tech shooter, jokes about McCain having sex with "Miss Charlie" aka former governor Charlie Crist (R., Fla.), conspiracy theories about the true perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an endorsement of former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's proposal to relocate Israeli Jews to Europe, and emphatic support for the "kick-ass funny" Donald Trump in his ongoing feud with "chubbed-out shrew" Rosie O'Donnell.
The blatant homophobia expressed in Reid's posts, including a sympathetic response to former NBA guard Tim Hardaway's "hate" for gay people, prompted a gay rights advocacy group to rescind the "Straight for Equality in Media" award previously given to Reid.
Former colleagues at a Florida radio station said the anti-gay sentiment expressed on the blog was in keeping with Reid's personality. They described Reid as an "evil woman" who made homophobic remarks, threatened violence against coworkers, and fostered "a very unhealthy work environment because of her attitude."
Since joining MSNBC in 2014, Reid has continued to make outrageous statements, albeit within the bounds of prevailing elite sentiment. She compared Trump's election to Adolf Hitler's rise to power, accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) of wanting to bankrupt the country in the name of white nationalism, suggested Attorney General William Barr played a role in billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's death, and described Robert Mueller's investigation in Russian meddling as a "cover up."
MSNBC's decision to elevate Reid, who has demonstrated a remarkable knack for sloppy journalism and factual inaccuracy, is a blow to several of her scandal-plagued colleagues who may have been hoping to take over for Matthews, who, in addition to being a misogynist creep, was also fond of comparing Trump to Hitler.
Former fat preacher and anti-Semitic activist Al Sharpton, for example, was presumably eager to return to a weekday time slot after being relegated to the weekend since 2015. Brian Williams, who was briefly suspended for repeatedly fabricating stories about reporting in war zones, might also have been eyeing an earlier time slot after being relegated to 11:00 p.m. since his reinstatement.
Reid, Sharpton, and Williams are proud members of the Washington Free Beacon's MSNBC All-Decade Team. Congrats!


freebeacon--2020-06-30--Hickenlooper Flew to Antelope Shooting Contest on Atlanta Braves Jet

Democratic senate candidate John Hickenlooper flew to an annual antelope shooting contest on a private jet belonging to the corporate owner of the Atlanta Braves in 2015 , according to a state ethics complaint .
Hickenlooper ’ s participation in the annual `` One Shot Antelope Hunt '' in Wyoming has drawn criticism after photos emerged of the former Colorado governor wearing American Indian headdresses—which some indigenous activists characterized as `` redface '' —at the event in 2012 and 2018 .
Hickenlooper was convicted earlier this month of ethics violations stemming from his use of corporate-owned private jets during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wyoming was included in an ethics complaint filed against him in 2018 , but was not investigated because it was outside the statute of limitations .
While Hickenlooper remains the frontrunner in Tuesday 's Colorado Democratic primary for Senate , several blunders and the reemergence of racially insensitive comments he made have led to a much tougher primary road than expected .
Copies of Hickenlooper 's official schedules from 2015 indicate that the then-governor flew to the antelope hunt out of Liberty Media Corp ’ s corporate jet hangar and returned to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Atlanta Braves baseball team since 2007 through the company 's Braves Group subsidiary .
The team has come under fire from indigenous activists for its use of Native American imagery , including its traditional `` Tomahawk chop '' cheer .
`` Between September 18 , 2015 and September 20 , 2015 , Governor Hickenlooper flew on an aircraft owned by Liberty Media Corp from the Liberty Media Corporate Jet Hangar in Centennial , Colorado to Lander , Wyoming and back for the ‘ One Shot Antelope Contest , ' '' said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trust Institute in 2018 .
Hickenlooper participated in the `` One Shot Antelope Hunt '' for six years while he was governor , according to his official scheduling records .
His final trip was in 2018 , when he flew there on a state-owned plane .
Photos from the 2018 contest show Hickenlooper wearing a large feather headdress .
He is also seen wearing a female Native costume in a 2012 PBS video .
A group of `` indigenous women and allies '' called on Hickenlooper to drop out of the Colorado Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying in an open letter that he `` displayed an unacceptable lack of judgement in choosing to participate in this event , while disrespecting Indigenous women and appropriating traditional dress of Native peoples . ''
Winners of the contest traditionally don Indian feathers and losers dress up as `` squaws , '' an ethnic slur for Native American women , according to the open letter .
`` These actions are not missteps .
They are not one-time , isolated incidents .
Instead , they are part of a disturbing pattern of ignorant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the activists wrote .
A spokesperson for Hickenlooper defended the candidate 's record on indigenous issues in a statement to the Hill , noting that the former governor issued an executive order in 2015 to reassess the use of Native American mascots on school sports teams .
That executive order came just a few weeks after Hickenlooper attended the antelope hunt .
Hickenlooper ’ s campaign did not respond to request for comment .
A spokesperson for Liberty Media did not return a call requesting comment .

Former gov under fire for two 'redface' incidents at event
Democratic senate candidate John Hickenlooper flew to an annual antelope shooting contest on a private jet belonging to the corporate owner of the Atlanta Braves in 2015, according to a state ethics complaint.
Hickenlooper’s participation in the annual "One Shot Antelope Hunt" in Wyoming has drawn criticism after photos emerged of the former Colorado governor wearing American Indian headdresses—which some indigenous activists characterized as "redface"—at the event in 2012 and 2018.
Hickenlooper was convicted earlier this month of ethics violations stemming from his use of corporate-owned private jets during his time as governor. The trip to Wyoming was included in an ethics complaint filed against him in 2018, but was not investigated because it was outside the statute of limitations.
While Hickenlooper remains the frontrunner in Tuesday's Colorado Democratic primary for Senate, several blunders and the reemergence of racially insensitive comments he made have led to a much tougher primary road than expected.
Copies of Hickenlooper's official schedules from 2015 indicate that the then-governor flew to the antelope hunt out of Liberty Media Corp’s corporate jet hangar and returned to the same location.
Liberty Media has owned the Atlanta Braves baseball team since 2007 through the company's Braves Group subsidiary. The team has come under fire from indigenous activists for its use of Native American imagery, including its traditional "Tomahawk chop" cheer.
"Between September 18, 2015 and September 20, 2015, Governor Hickenlooper flew on an aircraft owned by Liberty Media Corp from the Liberty Media Corporate Jet Hangar in Centennial, Colorado to Lander, Wyoming and back for the 'One Shot Antelope Contest,'" said the 2018 ethics complaint filed by the Public Trust Institute in 2018.
Hickenlooper participated in the "One Shot Antelope Hunt" for six years while he was governor, according to his official scheduling records. His final trip was in 2018, when he flew there on a state-owned plane. Photos from the 2018 contest show Hickenlooper wearing a large feather headdress. He is also seen wearing a female Native costume in a 2012 PBS video.
A group of "indigenous women and allies" called on Hickenlooper to drop out of the Colorado Senate race on Sunday because of the photos, saying in an open letter that he "displayed an unacceptable lack of judgement in choosing to participate in this event, while disrespecting Indigenous women and appropriating traditional dress of Native peoples."
Winners of the contest traditionally don Indian feathers and losers dress up as "squaws," an ethnic slur for Native American women, according to the open letter.
"These actions are not missteps. They are not one-time, isolated incidents. Instead, they are part of a disturbing pattern of ignorant and harmful behavior spanning over a decade," the activists wrote.
A spokesperson for Hickenlooper defended the candidate's record on indigenous issues in a statement to the Hill, noting that the former governor issued an executive order in 2015 to reassess the use of Native American mascots on school sports teams.
That executive order came just a few weeks after Hickenlooper attended the antelope hunt.
Hickenlooper’s campaign did not respond to request for comment. A spokesperson for Liberty Media did not return a call requesting comment.


freebeacon--2020-06-30--Cancel Carl Reiner (RIP)

Cancel Carl Reiner (RIP)

Fans of the arcane humor-centric concept of `` comedy , '' which for decades promoted violence and impaired the cause of social justice by prioritizing laughter , are mourning the loss of legendary `` comedian '' and filmmaker Carl Reiner , who died Monday at the age of 98 .
The rest of us , meanwhile , are grateful that Reiner 's death has reminded us the actor should have been canceled long ago .
Canceled… for serving in the U.S. military before it was desegregated in 1948 .
Canceled… for working with Woody Allen in the 1950s and failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedophile .
Canceled… for directing a movie ( Oh , God ! )
that fetishizes monotheism .
Canceled… for being friends with fellow `` comedian '' Mel Brooks , who committed racism by wearing goldface to play Yogurt in Spaceballs and directed transphobic `` comedian '' Dave Chappelle in Robin Hood : Men in Tights .
Canceled… for describing convicted rapist Bill Cosby as `` one of the greatest comedians this country has ever produced . ''
Canceled… for working with Steve Martin , who was forced to apologize for committing racism in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how to spell the word `` lasagne . ''
Canceled… for appearing on and writing for The Cleveland Show , the main character of which is a black man voiced by a white actor .
Canceled… for starring in Ocean 's Eleven , a film with too many bros. Canceled… for attempting to erase the historic female candidacy of Hillary Clinton—and helping Donald Trump get elected—by endorsing her misogynist opponent ( Bernie Sanders ) in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary .
Canceled… for dying before having to suffer the consequences of being @ @

Fans of the arcane humor-centric concept of "comedy," which for decades promoted violence and impaired the cause of social justice by prioritizing laughter, are mourning the loss of legendary "comedian" and filmmaker Carl Reiner, who died Monday at the age of 98.
The rest of us, meanwhile, are grateful that Reiner's death has reminded us the actor should have been canceled long ago.
Canceled... for serving in the U.S. military before it was desegregated in 1948.
Canceled... for working with Woody Allen in the 1950s and failing to prevent him from becoming an abusive pedophile.
Canceled... for directing a movie (Oh, God!) that fetishizes monotheism.
Canceled... for being friends with fellow "comedian" Mel Brooks, who committed racism by wearing goldface to play Yogurt in Spaceballs and directed transphobic "comedian" Dave Chappelle in Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
Canceled... for describing convicted rapist Bill Cosby as "one of the greatest comedians this country has ever produced."
Canceled... for working with Steve Martin, who was forced to apologize for committing racism in 2013 after suggesting black people didn't know how to spell the word "lasagne."
Canceled... for appearing on and writing for The Cleveland Show, the main character of which is a black man voiced by a white actor.
Canceled... for starring in Ocean's Eleven, a film with too many bros.
Canceled... for attempting to erase the historic female candidacy of Hillary Clinton—and helping Donald Trump get elected—by endorsing her misogynist opponent (Bernie Sanders) in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary.
Canceled... for dying before having to suffer the consequences of being canceled.
Rest in peace.


freebeacon--2020-06-30--AOC Touts Support from Anti-Semitic Groups for Israel Letter

A congressional letter organized by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) and a delegation of progressive Democrats in Congress was endorsed by organizations that call for Israel ’ s destruction , promote boycotts of the Jewish state , endorse terrorism , and traffic in anti-Semitic rhetoric .
The letter , sent Monday to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , threatens to withhold U.S. security assistance to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moves forward with a plan to annex parts of the disputed West Bank , an act that `` would lay the groundwork for Israel becoming an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ocasio-Cortez , the letter was backed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D. , Mich. ) and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) .
In an internal email circulated to House Democrats and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon , Ocasio-Cortez lists 10 organizations that support her letter to Pompeo .
Most of these groups are prominent leaders of the Boycott , Divestment , and Sanctions movement ( BDS ) , which seeks to wage economic warfare on Israel .
One such organization—Defense for Children International – Palestine—has been linked to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a U.S.- and European Union-designated terrorist organization .
Ocasio-Cortez ’ s collaboration with groups that have traditionally been seen among Democrats as extremist and outside the bounds of collaboration suggests an escalating fight within the party over not just criticism of Israel , but the acceptability among Democrats of supporting the Jewish state ’ s destruction through BDS and terrorism .
Almost all the `` supporting organizations '' listed on Ocasio-Cortez ’ s letter are vocal supporters of the BDS movement , including the American Friends Service Committee , American Muslims for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights , and Churches for Middle East Peace .
Each of these advocacy groups has a lengthy history of Israel criticism .
American Muslims for Palestine ( AMP ) , for instance , is a prominent leader of the BDS movement and helps run the leading campus BDS group , Students for Justice in Palestine .
Both organizations have promoted conspiracy theories about Israel and endorsed violent Palestinian resistance groups .
AMP ’ s chairman , Hatem Bazian , once called for an `` intifada '' in the United States .
Several AMP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government shut down for acting as fundraising fronts for Hamas , including the Holy Land Foundation and the Islamic Association for Palestine .
AMP ’ s national policy director , Osama Abuirshaid , is a vocal Hamas supporter on social media and reportedly worked for two Hamas-linked groups in the United States .
Another backer of Ocasio-Cortez ’ s letter is the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights , an umbrella and coordinating body for the BDS movement in the United States .
Among the group ’ s activities , as revealed by Tablet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ ing ] facilitate tax-exempt donations to a Palestinian coalition that includes Hamas , Palestinian Islamic Jihad , the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine , and other groups the U.S. State Department designates as terrorist organizations . ''
Churches for Middle East Peace , another backer , is a signatory to the Kairos Palestine Document , which casts the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in religious terms and declares Israel ’ s existence `` a sin against God and humanity . ''

A congressional letter organized by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and a delegation of progressive Democrats in Congress was endorsed by organizations that call for Israel’s destruction, promote boycotts of the Jewish state, endorse terrorism, and traffic in anti-Semitic rhetoric.
The letter, sent Monday to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, threatens to withhold U.S. security assistance to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moves forward with a plan to annex parts of the disputed West Bank, an act that "would lay the groundwork for Israel becoming an apartheid state." In addition to Ocasio-Cortez, the letter was backed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).
In an internal email circulated to House Democrats and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, Ocasio-Cortez lists 10 organizations that support her letter to Pompeo. Most of these groups are prominent leaders of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS), which seeks to wage economic warfare on Israel. One such organization—Defense for Children International - Palestine—has been linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.- and European Union-designated terrorist organization.
Ocasio-Cortez’s collaboration with groups that have traditionally been seen among Democrats as extremist and outside the bounds of collaboration suggests an escalating fight within the party over not just criticism of Israel, but the acceptability among Democrats of supporting the Jewish state’s destruction through BDS and terrorism.
Almost all the "supporting organizations" listed on Ocasio-Cortez’s letter are vocal supporters of the BDS movement, including the American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, and Churches for Middle East Peace. Each of these advocacy groups has a lengthy history of Israel criticism.
American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), for instance, is a prominent leader of the BDS movement and helps run the leading campus BDS group, Students for Justice in Palestine. Both organizations have promoted conspiracy theories about Israel and endorsed violent Palestinian resistance groups. AMP’s chairman, Hatem Bazian, once called for an "intifada" in the United States. Several AMP officials were involved with charities the U.S. government shut down for acting as fundraising fronts for Hamas, including the Holy Land Foundation and the Islamic Association for Palestine. AMP’s national policy director, Osama Abuirshaid, is a vocal Hamas supporter on social media and reportedly worked for two Hamas-linked groups in the United States.
Another backer of Ocasio-Cortez’s letter is the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, an umbrella and coordinating body for the BDS movement in the United States. Among the group’s activities, as revealed by Tablet magazine in 2018, is "help[ing] facilitate tax-exempt donations to a Palestinian coalition that includes Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other groups the U.S. State Department designates as terrorist organizations."
Churches for Middle East Peace, another backer, is a signatory to the Kairos Palestine Document, which casts the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in religious terms and declares Israel’s existence "a sin against God and humanity."